Submitted by Grenville Phillips

I am at the age when some of my contemporaries are experiencing the transition of their parents. I have not had that experience, but I am told that can be most traumatic. So, I thought that I would prepare myself now, rather than be dropped in the reported trauma later.

When I was younger, I had an opinion of what life meant. That opinion has evolved as I got older. After spending more than half of a century on this planet, my opinion is simply that – my opinion, which I have decided to share.

IN THE ZONE.

I believe that we are on Earth to learn to live in the zone. Everyone lives part of their life in the zone every day. But I think that life is about learning to live all parts of our life in the zone.

If you are reading this sitting on a chair, then you are currently in the zone. You are 100% certain that the chair will support you. You have learnt to trust that chair to the extent that your mind entertains no doubts about its ability to support you.

OUT OF THE ZONE.

When you receive a bill, and there are sufficient funds in your bank account to pay the bill, then you are in the zone. However, if a land-tax bill arrives that exceeds your bank account balance, then you may fall out of the zone. Once we are out of the zone, we tend to worry about tomorrow.

Every day is an opportunity to learn to consistently remain in the zone. It is easy to remain in the zone when everything is going as expected. That is why we need unexpected events to train us to remain in the zone during challenging situations.

THE KINGDOM.

How can we consistently remain in the zone in situations where we do not have access to resources to meet foreseen needs? There is only one way – we trust the One who has unlimited resources. That would be the Creator of all that is seen and unseen, the Almighty God.

Trusting God means that a person can stay in the zone in any situation, including those unforeseen. Jesus noted that we must learn to remain in the zone with the consistency of trusting infants.

MOVE MOUNTAINS.

The purpose of remaining in the zone is to move mountains. Hear Jesus: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus is our example, and he moved what people thought were insurmountable obstacles out of their way. We are responsible for identifying obstacles that persons perceive as insurmountable, and moving them. We may move them using our resources. Where we lack the resources, then we may use our influence and speak on their behalf. If we simply do not know what to do, then we should address the obstacle directly.

DYING AND GRADUATING.

So, what is dying all about? It is a graduation. When our friends in the years ahead of us graduate from school, we may be sad that we will not see them at school anymore, but we are happy that they have graduated.

Everyone must graduate, whether they are prepared to or not. Therefore, everyone should conscientiously prepare to graduate. We prepare by consistently living in the zone, moving mountains out of others’ way, and releasing others from their debts.

GOOD EXAMPLES.

I am fortunate to have forgiving parents who live a life of living in the zone, and moving obstacles from others’ way. Since they are older than I, they are expected to graduate to celestial responsibilities before I do.

Those who: rebelled against their training, placed or left obstacles in others’ way, or refused to forgive their fellow human beings, are not prepared to graduate. To graduate in such an unprepared state is tragic. Let those whom you leave behind celebrate your graduation, rather than be inconsolable because you were unprepared.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

129 responses to “Difficult Conversations – Living in the Zone”


  1. Exceptional engineer and right-wing looney just like you.

    See if you can sue me fuh dat!


  2. John insulted David. David lashed out. Now he has reverted to his normal position.

    I am a simple country girl who has never been impressed by money or its trappings. When I hear my son talk, I realise how well he was listening.

    What interests me about the case is the government officials involved. I cannot remember all their names.

    Must look ’em up!


  3. Clear what?? The new Remediation Agreement will make the DPP office very popular. Fines for the Treasury, and enabler fees for the brokers.


  4. Forget 🐇/🐰 and his family.
    My concern is that without the necessary resources this family would have had to settle for Caribbean justice.

    My concern is the money, time, perseverance and energy spent to obtain TRUE justice.

    If ‘criminals’ had the gall to put their army against the family dollars, what do you think they would do to a poor family with a plot of land that they want to own. Did the criminals have control of two courts of justice?

    This is a horrible story.


  5. I cannot remember all the details of the case, so I cannot give a firm opinion on the “true justice” bit. From what I can remember though, I am inclined to agree with the foreign court.

    Before we blow a gasket we should at least read the judgments handed down to understand the facts upon which the case turned.

    Courts disagree every day. Judgments get overturned in higher courts. Different jurisdictions see things differently.

    Strange how we assume that the foreign system got it right.

    Hmmmmmmm…..


  6. This case shows all the dimensions of Bajan society – personal and structural. All the forms of official corruption characterizing the legal cultures involved.

    Firstly, the son of the corporate undertaker finds cause to side with a Johnny in the same way Bajans talk about Rihanna, expressing a fastidiousness to be on the side of people who they believe to have come into a lot of money.

    Secondly, this case is not unlike many others, no less historic, where large areas of lands and other things of value were and continue to be illegally taken from Black people in Barbados and talked about here ad nausium by Waru over years. But there was never the sensibility about all those other cases which seems to attend this one.

    Thirdly, any Miami court, enabled by well paid lawyers could say what ever they like but they have no jurisdiction over nor their rulings cant automatically be recognized in Barbados, the UK, Canada and possible all of states of the USA. If yuh think 20 years is long you maybe facing another 20.

    Fouthly, then you have a Georgie Porgie, who like a sissy, runs to the aid of an ideological confederate he persumed now more worthy than before of his Pavlovian attentions.

    The son of the corporate undertaker thinks it moment to pelt a shot across the political bow and in the classical behaviour of local elites threaten slander or libel lawsuits. But in all his ad hominem articles it is difficult to recall a single instance where non political corruption has been interrogated. Corruption by courts, corruption by lawyers, corruption by non political elites. For him such would be inconsistent with desire for elected office.

    For most, a billion dollars, or what ever, may frighten them into acquiescence to a Johnny Clot but this writer is not and will never be so predispossed.


  7. POOR LIKKLE PATCHYMAMMA THE INADEQUATE INERT INAAPROPRIATE IGNORANT IDIOT INTERGECTING INCESSANTLY
    POOR THING LAMENTING LIKE A LILIPUTIAN
    POOR LIKLE BOY CRYING FOR HE HAS LOST HIS DOLLY AND TEDDY BEAR LOL
    LET GP GIVE YOU A LIKKLE CANDY
    https://youtu.be/YQvhEJHWRT0


  8. “Secondly, this case is not unlike many others, no less historic, where large areas of lands and other things of value were and continue to be illegally taken from Black people in Barbados and talked about here ad nausium by Waru over years. But there was never the sensibility about all those other cases which seems to attend this one.

    On this we agree. Those without adequate resources are constrained to operate in a system that is rigged against them. Verdicts are rendered. Justice is seen to be done, but lady justice is not blind.

    ———————————xx—————————————
    I note with interest that the CCJ was involved with this case at some time. I will speculate here in the hope that someone with legal knowledge could comment on its role in this case and the Caribbean.

    Comments on the CCJ are often on the length of time it takes to ‘render justice’. .Now I am beginning to wonder if apart from its mouthing, it is effectively a rubber stamp for these lower courts. Just the dotting of i’s and crossing of t’s

    A next layer of scam.


  9. When the Kingsland as well as Nelson matters were first posted to BU many commenters criticized the blogmaster for highlighting a family feud, forgetting it was a good example of of an inefficient local court system. Now the same matter Now that the matter has reached the US courts there is interest.

    #typical


  10. What is your mirror image?
    I wish to assert that we have never looked in the mirror. We regale ourselves with tales of fantasy; we claim we are punching above our weight; we look at the empty mouthing of our leader and claim that we are making a significant contribution on the world stage.

    But our eyes avoid the mirror so that we cannot see our image, and like Pandora we sit on our box of problems but they continue to escape. Aw.. forget it. I am tired.
    All is well
    Life is beautiful


  11. @blogmaster
    Some of the interest lies in the fact that different courts reached different conclusions.
    There is too much separation between the conclusions.


  12. 👍🏾blogmaster👍🏾
    —–xx—
    🙂 A blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then 🙂

    Overall: I think you are great


  13. CLICO??


  14. @GP October 23, 2021 5:54 AM “ARE YOU NOT LIVING IN SIN WID A MAN THAT AINT YOUR OWN HUSBAND?”

    Shhhh GP. I trusted you to keep our long time affair a secret. Now all of BU knows.


  15. The Brits have identified the top 10 areas where most cases occur.

    Beginning to get scientific with the goal of actually solving the problem.

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/covid-hotspots-mapped-as-7-areas-record-towering-four-figure-case-rates-latest/ar-AAPTRJI?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=W069

    Wiltshire 4,634
    Leeds 3,939
    Bristol, City of 3,558
    Birmingham 3,460
    Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 3,084
    Cardiff 2,966
    South Gloucestershire 2,681
    Cheshire East 2,567
    Sheffield 2,495
    County Durham 2,387


  16. This data should be available here in Barbados.


  17. RE @GP October 23, 2021 5:54 AM “ARE YOU NOT LIVING IN SIN WID A MAN THAT AINT YOUR OWN HUSBAND?”

    Shhhh GP. I trusted you to keep our long time affair a secret. Now all of BU knows.

    YOU ARE A NASTY STINKING LIAR… I HAVE HAD NO AFFAIR WITH YOU OR ANY OF YOUR ILK

    I NOT SO STUPID AS TO EVEN ATTEND ANY EVENT WID YOU FAR LESS LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE AS YOU FAR LESS TO…………..
    I NOT LIVIN IN SIN OK
    I HAVE BEEN MARRIED TO ONE WOMAN FOR 18 YEARS AND WAS MARRIED TO ANOTHER FOR 10

    DONT TRY TO DEFLECT

    FOR YOU ARE LIVING IN SIN WID A MAN THAT AINT YOUR OWN HUSBAND
    YOU OUGHT TO CONFESS YOUR SIN TO GOD AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY BEFORE TALKING ABOUT WOMEN WHO AT LEAST HAVE THEIR OWN HUSBAND

    THEN YOU GO TO THE COMMUNION RAIL PUN A SUNDEE


  18. You are the one who is deflecting.

    Like to eat and wipe your beak in the grass.


  19. So you are 69 or 70. Have been married married for 10+18 years =28 years.

    The age of consent is 16.

    So you ole wanker what do you want people to believe that you were doing during the 25 or so years of your adult life that you were not married?


  20. The first one died before you married the second? Or did you divorce her for adultery?

    Was your first sexual encounter a marital one?

    But…..

    Sex, sex, sex! Why are Christians so hung up on sex?

    Lord, talk about self-righteous!

    He would not attend a function with a person of her ilk!

    Murdaaaaah!

    But Jesus would.


  21. @Donna October 24, 2021 11:09 PM “The first one died before you married the second?”

    It could be that she ki!!ed herself, rather than live with Mr. Miserable. That’s what I would do if I found myself so trapped.


  22. Cuhdear Bajan,

    Oh shit! Yuh beat me to it! I did the maths too and was about to pose that question when the phone died and then I fell asleep.

    Another thing, I don’t think John is married. Would he attend a function with him?

    And AGAIN – WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DIVORCE?


  23. Here is the sort of error that I reckon makes the sea a great vector tor COVID spread.

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/17m-gallon-sewage-spill-closes-beaches-to-swimming/vi-AAPVimX?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=W069


  24. RE what do you want people to believe that you were doing during the 25 or so years of your adult life that you were not married?
    DONT GIVE A HOOT WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

    BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU LIVIN IN SIN CAUSE YOU CANT GET THE MAN OR ANY MAN TO MARRY YOU….BUT YUH DOES STILL BE UP AT THE COMMUNION RAIL PUN A SUNDEE LOOKING SANCTIMONIOUS

    WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT MARRIAGE?

    IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THE WOMAN YOU CLAIM THAT FOUND ME SO MISERABLE THAT SHE DIED WAS WONT TO CLAIM THAT SHE WAS GOING TO GET BACK HER HUSBAND. WHY?

    YOU FOLK GIVE ME SO MUCH MIRTH


  25. Our vaccination campaign has now almost come to a standstill. We must not longer burden the vaccinated people and the economy with the mentally retarded opponents of vaccination, but need a final solution.

    It is therefore time to abolish compulsory masks and hand washing so that the unvaccinated can all immunise themselves naturally by Christmas. The death toll should be accepted as voluntary collateral damage.


  26. Biden administration details new plans for air travel for foreign nationals starting next month

    https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/25/politics/vaccinated-foreign-visitors-to-us-details/index.html


  27. What does the Bible say about divorce?

    Doesn’t matter what we believe but it sure matters what you did! Yuh cyan answer de questions?

    Come on, man! Beat de bad bowling!


  28. Good shots –

    My wife committed adultery and so I was well within my Biblical rights to divorce her.

    My wife died before I remarried.

    I never had sex before marriage or between marriages.


  29. Donna as it pertains to bajans I think the bible says whether you get a divorce at 15 or twenty years you are still brother and sister.

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