Yesterday. Grenada’s Invitational Track and Field Meet, National Stadium. Local and international track and field superstars in Grenada doing their thing!
Last race, 400 meters the crowd (majority Grenadian) erupt with jump up, with horns blowing, drums dancing, bodies rolling, voices lifting. Kirani James local hero. Olympic Gold medalist. Pride of the Nation running the 400 M. Kirani on the big screen. Eyes moving from ground to sky; his face, his body serious and reflective as he prepares to run. Forget Olympic nerves. This is Kirani’s beloved home, this his people, his nation jumping up, beating out a tune of pure love and joy. Grenada’s hero. Hope. This is not a foreigner, youth aspiring to be, this is Kirani James from Gouyave, St. John, Grenada.
You feel Kirani can lose this race. You mad?
Kirani wins. Collective madness! Mad with love. Mad with pride. Mad with sheer joy of being Grenadian.
I reflect.
I reflect on how this kind of radical love, joy, pride for another can be taken to the streets, to the every day, to our neighbors, our co workers, our families. I wonder how to find the courage, the strength, the presence to jump up, wave our arms in the air, drum a beat of affirmation and value for another. Simply another. A simple other. Especially if that other is not doing so well, last in the race, or last in exams or last in being kind.
I reflect and write this morning while still feeling the collective joyous high from last eve! Jumping up and rolling to the beat of national pride! Thank you Kirani James and to all the other local and international superstars for bringing us together!!