What a shame
From just after 5 p.m. each evening after picking up my wife and the girls, we are bombarded with the daily responsibilities of adulthood. It has been this way for just over two years and let me tell yuh, we are constantly exhausted and overwhelmed. If it is two of us and we feel this way, Lord have mercy on parents who do it alone.
Unpacking bags, washing lunch pans, preparing dinner, washing up, giving baths, spending time playing, brushing teeth, preparing for bed, pressing clothes, preparing lunch for the next day and the list goes on and on – day in, day out.
By the time the children get to sleep, we are so exhausted that we scarcely have time for ourselves or each other and, more often than not, we fall asleep on the couch or at the table.
Saturday comes and instead of family time, it’s cleaning and washing and, for some parents, swimming, piano and mathematics lessons. Since my wife and I are directly involved in our church, Sunday is also a full day for us.
Back in the day when our grandparents had nine to 14 children, there was plenty support from older siblings and the community so parents weren’t too burnt out. With modern-day parents having only one or two children now, there isn’t much support and communities have changed so much that the swearing, fighting, gambling and drugs have replaced the dominoes, liming and general support.
To make things worse, many homes are now single-parent homes or the child lives in an environment with uncle, aunty, granny and mummy but none of the adults in the house speak to each other.
We continue to push God and things godly out of our society and then wonder why we are the way we are.
We celebrate and encourage adultery, lust, casual sex, lying, drunkenness, gambling, deception, greed, gluttony, cheating, selfishness and abusive language. We even go as far as to say it is who we are and part of our culture.
One would think the global fight would be for universal education, food and nutrition, clean and sanitary conditions, access to clean drinking water or shelter and security for all. Although there is a fight for these, there is a greater and more consistent fight that has become the focus and priority of the world – the fight for same-sex unions.
Barbados is not a Christian society. Many profess Christ but few possess him. If it weren’t for religious holidays and baby christenings, most people would not be seen in a church. Sunday school for children is now an option and not priority.
Our fiscal position is dim, our social partnerships are dissolving, our morals are declining, our vision is outdated, our education system is irrelevant, our people are apathetic, our politicians are arrogant and proud, our churches are powerless and half empty, our pastors are losing influence, our men are lazy, weak and abusive, our women are slack, stubborn and selfish, our children are spoilt, ungrateful and lack identity and purpose, and our young women are becoming masculine while our young men are becoming effeminate.
There is planned support and funding for car, music, sports, and wine and food festivals to build our country’s economy but nothing planned for Christ festivals or anything to do with God to build our spirits and our people up. What a shame.
What type of future will there be if we can’t even get the present right?
My heart burns for Barbados. This is my country and if it’s only me to fight for it, I will do just that. I will make a difference.
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. Email coreyworrell@gmail.com