Comparing potholes to difficult moments in life, a High Court judge offered heartfelt guidance to students of the Marabella North Secondary School, encouraging them to navigate life's journey with resilience, self-awareness and care.
Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds gave the keynote address at the interfaith and graduation ceremony for forms five and six at the school on April 10. She said life is an ongoing journey until death, and on every journey, there are potholes.
"Some potholes can be avoided with a diversion but you must still be careful. If careless, you could run off the road, hit the pavement, or end up in oncoming traffic."
Even the seemingly small potholes, she warned, require attention.
"Some are really big – like craters – and there is no way to your destination except through them. Those potholes, you just have to go through slowly and carefully.
"Be kind to yourselves when you hit those potholes. Access the situation carefully. If you cannot get through it on your own, ask for help. Do not give up. Take care of your mental health. If you feel you are struggling, ask for help. Your parents love you."
Laughter erupted when she shared some humorous social media posts about potholes, with one user saying it can move a passenger from the front seat to the back seat.
She cited another, saying, when someone touches a pothole, it changes the radio stations.
Ramsumair-Hinds urged students to be kind to themselves during these difficult moments in life.
The theme at the ceremony was Far from Finished, inspired by the 2017 soca hit by Aaron "Voice" St Louis.
The judge told the students they have the ability to choose any destination. She recounted a personal story about the death of a close relative in December. She described him as a master fabricator, using the story to illustrate the importance of self-evaluation and goal-setting.
"Understand yourself, your skill, your abilities, desires. Consider your support system and your budget and choose to create the roadmap to your desired destination. I suggest that you evaluate yourself."
[caption id="attachment_1149871" align="alignnone" width="461"] Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds -[/caption]
She shared experiences of people who have been invaluable to her, particularly Mr Bramble and Ms Linda.
"Dream big. Turn your dream into a goal. Make it SMART – Specific, measurable, attainable, result-based and time-bound.
She encouraged students to stay present and intentional as they leave school and step into the next phase of their lives.
"Turn off auto-pilot. Do not rush into adulthood. The adulting business is not easy. I am still learning."
The mother and wife cautioned against chasing money or wealth as the primary measure of success.
"Chase after success instead. Sometimes, money and wealth are signs of success, but not always. Choose success. Do not follow people who do not know where they're going – even if they are popular social media influencers."
Instead, she suggested they get a mentor who would help guide them in the right
