I am so stubborn. I would rather be a bit hungry than ask for help. When I am around other people at the campsite, I pretend everything is ok. I don’t let on that I do not have but this one swimsuit and sarong. It is not uncommon for people at this campsite to wear the same bathing suit for days on end and I can tie my sarong in several different ways. I never offer my story and can tend to be guarded.
While deep in within the valley of the bay gathering coconuts today, I met another member of the Rymer family. He is ostracized from the family due to being the “pot grower” and serving time in jail. “I was a subject of the Queen”, he said. He is a Rastafarian and grows “ganja” for his spiritual sacrament. He also lives off the land and showed me his home down the gulch deep within the bay. I was immediately taken with his lifestyle.
All of his relatives know he lives on their land, but they leave him alone. Unlike me, he shared his story instantly. He was born with the name Peter, but rejected his “slave” name and is now called Isaiah. His Caribbean patwah (accent) was thick and he pronounced words in the Rasta way. Instead of me, he said I. He showed me his campsite and his farm, where he grew sugar cane, bananas and marijuana.
To me, he was living the life I wanted to live. It was simple and beautiful. He spoke philosophically and about his beliefs. Then he asked me about me and I spilled the whole thing to him, I somehow just had to be honest and open with him. It was a relief.
After I confessed everything, he talked for a long time. It was a cool cocktail of advice and Rastafarian teachings. He said that I shouldn’t stay in a campsite, unless I tell the owners my situation and am honest. He offered me the opportunity to work on his farm and he would in exchange provide me with food and shelter. He told me that we need to help each other because we are I and I. He said, “ I and I is an expression to totalize the concept of oneness, the oneness of two persons”. It wasn’t in my language, but he seemed to say that his spirituality means that he wants to help me for the simple reason that we are actually one.
He also said that the dolphins rescuing me were irie, which meant good vibes. This has happened before to a man whom a shark was attacking while he was spear fishing just outside of Brewer’s Bay. Dolphins are from Jah (God).
It was the first time I had really thought about the dolphins, being too preoccupied with how to survive. I didn’t know what to think, except I know I almost died and without them, I would have perished.
How could I resist his offer? What other plans did I have? Besides, he felt like a teacher, a master and I enjoyed his company. I made my new home with Isaiah
We ate the most delicious meal with food he grew and picked that night. It made me feel high, but not in a marijuana way. I felt the nourishment of the food. Since it grew to ripeness, it was filled with the most energy. I felt very aware and good. I believed at this point, everything was going to be okay.
No comments:
Post a Comment