The way I see it, when someone tells you something that puts a smile on your face and puts a warm glow on your inside, it is a feeling that money can neither buy nor replace.
It was on Thursday of this week and I was hustling. I had a very important recording to conduct. After all, Minister Eric Evelyn was meeting with representatives of the SKN Patriots, ahead of the big match versus the Premier’s X1, set for next Thursday at the ET Willet Park.
I was hustling because I was late. The meeting was set for 2.30 pm and it was already 2.31 pm.
A gentleman I know well, approached me. He was blunt and to the point: ‘You seem busy but I wanted to talk to you.’
I hesitated. I had a million and one solid excuses why I could not pause for his conversation at that time and I was thinking about which one to use.
Suddenly, I found myself relaxing and I said: ‘Yes I am busy but go ahead.’
What he said next, certainly made my day.
He told me that he had been looking for me for several days, just to say ‘THANKS.’
‘Thanks for what?’ I queried politely.
Then he explained.
He reminded me of a conversation we had quite a number of years ago, when I pleaded with him as then manager at the Nevis Social Security office, to get himself registered as a Self-employed person with the Social Security Board and reap the benefits later on in life.
If I can recall correctly, he gave a bit of trouble but he reminded me that after that conversation, he went and not only got registered but paid regularly on his earnings since then.
Now he was excited to share the good news with me: “Because of your intervention, I got registered and paid my self-employed contributions and now I will be making 62 in September and the Social Security Board has written to me, to come in and complete the forms for me to get my pension for life!’
The man was bubbling with joy.
Hey, it was like someone had just given me a million dollars!
Well I newa!
That certainly made my day. Here was someone that I had helped simply saying THANKS.
It was a wonderful feeling. A feeling that I cannot truly express in words but sufficing to say that I was bubbling too.
As a matter of fact, I reflected on the fact that that is exactly the reason why I live: To help others.
I may not be able to help with money because I am simply not blessed with a lot, but in whatever way I can help, I use the talents that God has LOANED me, to help others.
I felt almost like it was me getting the pension!
On the other hand, I reflected that at around the same time, I spoke to my good friend, AUGUST (of blessed memory) about registering as a Self-employed as well.
AUGUST bluntly refused and told me that he was not going to be part of any stupid scheme.
About two weeks later, he was driving his truck down the Rawlins road and the brakes gave away……
In order to avoid hitting some people, he pulled the truck off the road and it KINICAT over an incline.
AUGUST was badly broken up and had to be hospitalized for a long time. Even after recovery, he ended up with a unique and permanent limp.
What is instructive though, is that he called for me and my then boss, Powell, to visit him at the hospital and apologized for being so conceited in not registering and vowed that once God allowed him to get back on his feet, he would come in to register.
True to his word, once he had fully recovered, he started his business as a Taxi driver and came in to register and paid regularly up to his death.
I therefore cannot end without appealing to all Self-employed persons to ensure that they are indeed registered with the Social Security Board and paying their regular contributions. You and your loved ones may live to benefit one day.
And in closing. Effectively, it is like making sure that we give our hearts to God, while we are healthy and in our right minds. If we do, there will be eternal rewards (like the SSB pension) but if we don’t, one day, it will be eternally too late and then there will be eternal consequences…..
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?