Joan Wilson, Publisher

As I get older the years fly by and I was startled to learn last Thursday (20) that the Rotary Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was taking place. Looking at the clock it showed ten minutes to six and without much ado I rushed out to Heroes Square in George Town.

I managed to squeeze my car into a spot that provided me much difficulty when I returned. I seemed to have put on a few more pounds during the ceremony as it took me a long time of pushing my body between the wall and my car to get back into it!

I really was lucky. There must have been over a thousand people there – lots of children with the adults-and I spotted one lonely seat right in the front. I asked if it was vacant and the lovely lady motioned me to sit down beside her. She was so nice and I wish I could remember her name – she even gave me her programme.

The ceremony had only just started and I can tell you it was magnificent.

There were four choirs, Church of God Chapel, UCCI, a Children’s Choir and the Cayman Youth Choir. The UCCI Pandemix Steel Band was also on hand to give the Caribbean ‘feel’ to the whole proceedings and the young Erica Rockett-McBean performed a solo, singing and playing her guitar.

The Premier, Alden McLaughlin, gave his stirring Christmas Message and I even managed to give him a Christmas ‘hug up’ after the ceremony had finished.

The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman must be commended for staging such a joyous occasion.

Christian Victory was an excellent Master of Ceremonies and it was so nice to see Pastor David Larson again. He has been missing from our shores for a number of years and he gave the opening prayer.

What?

He has been back here for over a year.

How time flies!

I leave you with this poem I wrote called “Togetherness”. Even with all the rush that we will all be in as Christmas fast approaches, and even as time flies by, please make time for each other.

TOGETHERNESS

There’s nothing as nice as togetherness

With friends we hold so dear

To share one’s delights or problems

And to show each other we care.

A look, a touch gives one a feeling of belonging.

But in these days of rush and never stop

We pass each other on the street or in a shop

‘Hello – how are you’ is all we have time to say

Too rushed – we’ve got to get away.

To what? A traffic jam, the office or where?

Surely we should have a moment to spare.

Maybe in our home we’ll have a cup of tea

I don’t know though we’ll have to wait and see

Wait? But time waits on no one I’m told

So make time for each other before you’re too old.