Have you ever given any thought to the true concept of a paradise? What do you see when you think about it? What are the people like?
I was raised in a religion where the concept of paradise is often spoken about. Throughout my life, I have occasionally thought about paradise and what it would be like. In my mind, I see paradise as a place where one can easily navigate between the fun and laughter of social life and the peace and quiet needed to rejuvenate the body and mind. I imagine people with a carefree state of mind and natural innocence and kindness. I imagine a place where beaches are abundant but forest life is close by. I see clear skies, beauty everywhere, and love, lots and lots of love.
Sine 2012 I have been traveling to Haiti on a medical mission trip. Before my first trip, I told a friend of mine about my plans. I distinctly remember him saying to me “you mean the third world country Haiti, why would you want to go there, subject yourself to all that poverty and risk your life?”. I laughed but didn’t even attempt to explain myself. I knew I was going to serve and it really needed no explanation. I was going to help people who lived in a state of lack, people who needed help. As far as I was concerned my goals clearly outweighed any risk. For all that I knew about Haitians, they were indigent people who needed others willing to help regardless of any risk.
There is such a thing as mass or collective consciousness, beliefs or ideas that are shared by masses of people. Often because these ideas and beliefs are so universal, people tend to not question them. Haiti is a poor country, many if not most people there need help, they have very little of anything they need. This is a belief shared by the masses, those who have never been there and some who live there. I believed it and never considered anything else. Even after several years of going to Haiti, my beliefs didn’t change. I even told the stories that confirmed this belief, stories of poverty, hard, and often times unthinkable living conditions. I told the stories that my eyes and mind were open to, the ones that made my trips there seem even more noble and courageous. Not because I wanted to appear any particular way, but simply because they are the stories that aligned with my consciousness, the mass consciousness of the country and its people. How could I have seen anything other than what my mind already believed if I wasn’t actively looking for anything different?
This year one of my sons, Tahj joined me on the trip. He was my Divine Intervention. During one of our conversations on our second night in Haiti, he made a very simple but powerful statement “that’s why this planet is paradise”. Now you would have had to hear the whole conversation to have a clear understanding of what he meant but for now, it is not totally the point. The point is in the moment he made that statement, I felt a shift in myself. I was suddenly open to a brand new idea. Paradise, right here right now, really could it be? When he made the statement, my eyes and mind were suddenly ready to see and perceive something new. I began at that moment to look for something different. During this trip, my view of Haitians and Haiti was forever changed. My stories have changed as well.
Haitians are beautiful!
Most Haitians are kind, grateful, strong, and extremely resourceful. They have a level of innocence that I can only describe as sweet. When a baby is hungry the mother nurses, no worries of judgment or embarrassment and not one person around blinks an eye. When boys have to pee, they pee. Why be ashamed of what the body does naturally? Although most people have a lack of financial resources, there is an inner glow, an innate core happiness that seems so common. There’s an unmatched sense of community, sharing and taking care of each other is the norm. The streets are filled with people talking, laughing, and listening to music until the wee hours of the night. Why be in the house lonely when there is a nightly block party going on?
Haiti is beautiful!
Possibly some of the most beautiful beaches I have visited are in fact the beaches of Haiti. The sky can be so clear and the clouds so plush and white that it looks like a perfectly painted picture. There are mountains, hundreds of amazing mountains that seem to encapsulate the island. The land is fruitful, mangos, coconut, and almonds are abundant and just a tree limb shake away. Rice and corn fields are just as abundant. Goats, pigs, cows, dogs, and cats roam freely, without fear of each other or the people.
Paradise is now more clear in my mind than ever before, as I have experienced a glimpse of it. Haiti actually represents all that I’ve ever imagined paradise to be and it’s taught much more. I’m not denying, there are many people living in Haiti that lack financial resources, this is true. I also understand the necessity of money in regards to buying clothes, sending children to school, and having access to medical treatment. I personally just have not ever associated paradise with lots of money. The natural resources, the natural beauty of the land, and the natural state of mind of the people are as close to paradise as I ever imagined.
It can be difficult to recognize the beliefs and ideas that are part of our mass consciousness. Therefore, it is also difficult to question those beliefs or consider anything different. I am grateful for Tahj and our conversation that night. His words enhanced my Haiti experience. His words provided me the opportunity to grow by looking beyond what I believed to be true and seeing something much more beautiful. I’m so happy I took the opportunity.
Peace, Love, Blessings & Continued Learning!
