A Friend

Created by moses kanhai 11 years ago
Angela was a friend of all - even of people she did not know around the world. I have far too many memories of Angela as we grew up in Penal and engaged in youth activites in our home church. I visited her family home often and spent many hours in conversation with her, her Mom, Maggie, and her sister Mattie. My first experience of grief was when I heard the news of Mattie's death, along with Maggie and John. A few years ago, I was Angela's house guest during one of my visits to Trinidad. It was Good Friday and she cooked a lovely white salmon. We spent hours in reminiscing and talking about societal issues. I couldn't help asking her something that was on my mind ever since I heard of the brutal murder of her mother, sister and husband. What was her opinion of the death penalty? I was touched and inspired by her response that she had always opposed it and nothing has happened to change it. If she opposed it before the death of her loved ones, then she should still uphold those principles. Angela has left many legacies, perhaps her commitment to the environment being the most well-known. But I will always be inspired and motivated by the value she placed on life. I can't help thinking that those values with which we were raised by our families, our church, our schools, and by her career in public life, have made their mark on all of us. And we can pass on that legacy to future generations. Thank you Angela.