My friendship story

As a child, I had the regrettable experience of losing most of my friends due to migration. By the time I had reached age 12 most of the children I knew from our Sunday school and our community had gone overseas as their families went in pursuit of a better life.

This resulted in me becoming a little withdrawn and during my early teenage years felt even more unloved and uncared for. In those days, communication means were not as easily accessible as they are today. So we weren’t able to keep in touch.

I nevertheless was compensated for it at primary school. In Primary school, I had a lot of friends and since I was liked by one of the most beautiful girls in the entire school, I had become very popular. Everyday, religiously, she had an entourage of girls with her whenever she went for her lunch break. She would wait for me at break for us to go have lunch together. Naturally, there would be a group of boys since there were so many girls

These early interactive experiences taught me the importance of socializing and gave me the self confidence needed to be more people oriented.
My life was further influenced by my female friend, Kahiefa, who became my best friend at about age 13. We had been friends since age 9 when we use to sing together on a children’s choir at a near by church.

Today she still remains one of my long time friends along with a few others now residing in USA, England and Canada. The most valuable of lesson and the most cherished about friends, is the fact that we all need to have them, even one. Warm friendships, mutual acquaintances and a feeling that we belong, all add value to living.

Pause, don't stop

As we go through life we have varied experiences; some are frightening and others lead us into exhilarating joy. When you go through your moments of loss or death, take time out to grieve. Cry if you must and reflect on it all, the good and somber times. Allow room for your wisdom to grow from each and every encounter.

When you go through your moments of success and achievement, take time out to celebrate. Laugh, dance and be merry; there is nothing wrong with basking in the rewards of your efforts for a while.

Whatever you face, don't stop there. There are greater things to achieve and more fulfilling things to do. There is more purpose to your life and more great moments to experience. If you stop, you may never experience the better part of your life. Pause, don't stop.

Some experiences may be harsher than others. Don’t stop loving because someone broke your heart. Don’t stop giving because others don’t appreciate all you do. Don’t stop forgiving even though you have been hurt and disappointed. Pause, don’t stop.

These moments of ‘pausing’ will be the most crucial and profound times in your life. If you seek clarity and meaning, the lessons are always greater than you had ever imagined them to be. Pause, don't stop.

Negative Motivations

As a child I was taunted by some of my older siblings. Being number eight of nine, I was pressured in more than one ways to perform. Some times I was called negative names by a brother who is an expert on giving people names.

I have overcome those hurdles but sometimes I wonder how much these early childhood experiences impact on my life today. Feelings of inadequacy, loneliness and unworthiness use to plague me. As a result of my faith in Jesus, I have overcome these, but I know there are many families who struggle with issues like mine.

These negative motivations drove me to make something of my life. With a deep and burning desire to fit in, I have more than 'fit it’; I have created my own mold, model and designs for others to copy. Learning to turn our negative situations into positives is a remarkable gift. I believe now with all my heart that I am destined for greatness.

Family manners that matters

There are some mannerisms which are deep seated in our family. Our parents would never let up on us if we didn’t get them right. Today I want to share with you the family mannerism of greetings or address. Whenever younger children addressed or greeted someone older then the names had to be preceded by a “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, “Miss”, “Madam”, or “Sir”

If the person being addressed was a parent we were not allowed to call them by their first names. We had to say “Mama” or “Papa” which was our version of “mommy” and “Daddy”. On the other hand if we were to address an older sibling then we had to say, “Brother” or “Sister”.

I know that to some persons this may seem strange, but this longstanding family tradition helped to keep us honoring those who were older and was in fact a prelude to proper protocol.

These days as I hear a child addressing his/her mother by her first name, “Dionne” for example. I am not at all comfortable with it. Our parents riveted in our heads that such a behavior was an act of disrespect. Now that we are older and most of us are parents too. We address our parents by saying “Mama G” and “Papa G”. We have also reserved “Mama” for Grandma and “Papa” for Grandpa. For our children they call us “Mommy” and “Daddy”; certainly a family tradition worthy of passing on.

The Have Nots

Some people have become experts on ‘can nots’ and ‘will nots’ and all too familiar with the word ‘impossible’, sadly they too have become the ‘have nots’.

copy right (c) 2008 J.D. Gordon. All rights reserved

Romance I can't resist

Romance like yours I must insist
Tell me words I can’t resist
Melodic expressions that bring me cheer
Tunes which are ever pleasing to my ear

Imprisoned by your romantic prowess
I feel pure, passionate emotional glories
A classic lover’s plight
I yearn for your affection by day and more by night

Appeal to my most sensitive sensuous nerves
Hypnotized by your hips and curves
Intrigue and adventure chase me, more, more I desire
This love affair rekindled with flaming fire

Intrigue and adventure chase me, more, more I desire
This love affair rekindled with flaming fire
Be my painter and move your brush over my mind
Play me, my percussionist, like a bell or a chime

Romance me in ways I can’t resist
So honey may fall like droplets of water from my lips
The lights, the flowers, the music is oh so right
I haste to see the end of day, to experience the splendor of night

copy right (c) 2008 J.D. Gordon. All rights reserved

Two kings in the Kingdom

Today our son is 33 days old and I am 33 years and 82 days old.

Today he weighs 13 lbs and I weight 194.8 lbs

I am reigning and he is in training

It feels so different and oh so new,

Having someone else in the house

Someone else who also loves blue

Both kings communicate fairly well

We only say what we want

Once that is said, no need to bother our heads

He loves his breast; by the way I should ask that he

Help in the celebration in JA for this week is acknowledged as breast feeding week.

“The breast is still the best”, they say, I know he would totally agree

My wife is his mother and his mother is my wife

He is direct from our lineage, though some say he looks too cute to be true

To be given the opportunity to develop another heart, another soul

It is such a blessing, though half of the story remains untold.

A sunday special for you

They LOL at my expense

Yesterday I experienced one of the most hilarious things in my life. You probably would have laughed yourself to tears if you saw me. Really you would…here goes
It was lunch time so I decided I needed to do something to relax. What did I do? I went to the barber to get a trim. My regular barber told me he would be at the shop by the time I got there so I went expecting to see him of course.

When I arrived at the barber shop, much to my disappointment, he was no where in sight. Hesitantly, I decided to try with one of the other barbers. About 5 minutes into the process the power went. Yes the electricity went and it suddenly started raining. Actual it was more like thunderstorms. The entire island was under a flash flood watch and so we were warned about sudden changes in the weather.

About an hour earlier in the day the sun was scorching hot, the day looked so bright and lovely. But now here I was saddled to the barber’s chair; neatly shaved and with one side of my head hairless; rather queer looking.
I decided to wait a while because if I were to leave, I would need to return at some point to complete my trim.
My office was about 15 minutes away, but with the rains it could take me 25 minutes or more.
So I waited and waited, then waited a little more and the electricity just never returned.
What was I going to do? I thought to myself.

If I returned to the office like this I know my co-workers would have a field day laughing at my hair. If I stayed, I could end up spending the entire afternoon at the barber shop without the electricity returning. But I had a cap in the car that I could use to cover up and further more it was raining. That would make the prefect excuse why I was wearing a cap in the office. So I decided to leave and drive back to my office.

As I drove into the car park and secured a parking spot all the way to the far end of the car park, the barber called to say the electricity had just returned. Oh gosh! What a day?

Well, I came back to the office and they all had a good laugh at my expense. I wanted to make somebody’s day and I think I did just that.

Have you ever been told that you are miserable?

After reading the below you might want to either change your ways or ask the person to withdraw the statement, because this is what they are saying about you:


· Wretched
· Causing or accompanied by great discomfort or distress
· Mean or shameful; contemptible
· Wretchedly inadequate
· measly, miserable, pitiful, pitiable, pathetic

1. Not nice: wretched, miserable, annoying
2. unfortunate: unblessed, luckless, hapless, poor, wretched, forlorn, undone, unhappy
3. unhappy: to be pitied, pitiable, poor
4. melancholic: forlorn, miserable, broken up, wretched, unrelieved, refusing comfort, disconsolate

When we look into the meaning of some especially negative words, we will become very cautious in our utterances.

25 days old father

Whether first timers or seasoned parents, all parents have interesting experiences with their little bundle of joy. Wow! Today I am 25 days old, not in age but as a father. Already I have started seeing some of my strengths and what could be considered some of my shortcomings.

Made to feel incompetent

In what was one of my earliest and first experiences in holding our one day old son, Joshua, I recall it was at the hospital where the nurse remarked how weird I looked holding the infant. She went on to suggest that for a BIG man I held the child rather clumsy. I must admit I felt bad.

I thought for a moment about the things people say when they have already mastered some thing that others are learning to cope with or handle and are just not quite there yet.In my research regarding a book I want to write about fathers, I will take a brief look at some of the reasons so many of our fathers are missing from the family equation. It is a book that will consider, among other things, the psychological and emotional impact the father’s ‘presence’ or absence has on the child’s development.

Reflecting on how absorbing the past 25 days has been, I was now beginning to ask myself, whether this was one of the early and first reasons why some men run away. I am not certain of all the experiences of my fellow fathers, but to be able to hold the baby so he can feel comfortable is a challenge. I have oftentimes wondered too how many men are made to feel incompetent, even for the first few days, when they attempt to hold and comfort their crying child.

There are other challenges too which cause us first time fathers to feel we basically can do nothing right when a young child enters the home.

Real men don’t go into hiding

Men who become scared and feel they are not wining in their attempts to be a father naturally goes into hiding. This of course, combined with the conflicts which exist between some couples. Some men may even deny the truth of it all. Just like Adam hid himself when he was found wanting, men today are prone to repeat this ever prevalent feat if they do not catch up with themselves.

As for the mothers, one of the main purposes of the woman’s breast is to provide the warm and cozy comfort that the child so often needs.As for me, with just under a month’s experience I can do my bit. I give our son a good hug and take him for a walk, dance with him or play him something soothing on the flute or the piano. Anyone of these usually helps to calm him and send him off to get some desperately needed sleep.

Her friends dumped her

During our recent pregnancy, one of the recurring complaints of my wife was the fact that she felt like her friends had abandoned her. I tried to discount her concerns, but then I too admittedly, know the value of precious friendships, the kind that brings more color to our lives and so I had to come to her rescue on more than one occasions. I sought to explained to her that if she felt like her friends had forsaken her then she should give them a call and let them know how much she was longing to see and hear from them. Of course, this was not the approached she favored.

So she spent the next few days alone moping and then nose-dived into her pool of self pity. I would once again use the opportunity to explain that if she made the call then it would help to make her feel a lot better. At least twice I called a few of her friends and asked how is it that they had dumped her. Of course they explained how busy they were between their jobs, school and family, but her good friends usually call or take a trip over to the house. I know there are those who will think I should not try to find solutions as some women prefer when their men sympathize or empathized rather than attempt to fix all their problems. Well, that’s just not me. After the emotional experience then we need plausible and suitable solutions to our problems or whatever bothers us.

In most parts of Jamaica, stopping by a friend’s house unannounced is a common practice; which almost can be considered a part of our culture. We like to hang out and lyme or just pass by for a quick hello.

The fact is, we all at some point in our lives feel as though we are alone, left to face our challenges and the storms of life like an island on the sea; a phase in our lives when we believe that our friends are just never there when we needed them most. Jesus had a similar encounter during his Garden of Gethsemane experience.

I am reminded to make a phone call especially when I am aware that a friend, a colleague, a family member, a church brethren or just an associate may be having a challenging time, regardless of whether they are struggling or suffering by their own demise. We all do need a word of encouragement or just a kind reminding that someone else cares; someone else is cheering us on.

Why do things have to come to an end?

Why do things have to come to an end?

I am not sure, I don’t know why

What if they lasted forever?

Well…We just might not want that either



If the good never comes to an end

Then what happens to evil?

Is it that good and bad would reign together at the same time?

If wisdom never comes to an end

Then what happens to foolishness?



If the greatest and happiest times of our lives never come to an end

Then so too might our troubles and trials never end

Whether we believe it is the right or wrong timing,

Right or wrong relationship, right or wrong move

Why do things have to come to an end?



I am really not sure why, but maybe if they didn’t

We wouldn’t have new and refreshing beginnings, or new seasons

Perhaps we would lose the opportunity and joy of starting something different,

Something which also climaxes with exhilarating joy then comes to an end

Left Hanging

With one lovers leap, I was swept off my feet
Wondering, wandering along,
Like a cold and lonely kitten I cried,
Yet to embraced your love, God knows I’ve tried
Left hanging, feeling incomplete, feeling like a kite in the wind

My dreams I chased
Though the turmoil I faced
From my youth I desired the melody of the flute
Great aspirations wrapped in shattered hopes, expels my breath
Now each sun set finds me with silent regrets
Left hanging, feeling incomplete, like a child without his toy
I was robbed of my joy

You promise not promise what you have promised
Now I am without it and emptied of that promise
You never call, you never texted
Oh! If you could hear the groaning of a heart so vexed
Left hanging, feeling incomplete, pushed aside like broken vase

Now I stand alone fully unsatisfied
For with every broken promise,
Every unfulfilled dream, my emptiness deepens, like a chasm
Waiting, longing to be loved, to achieve
For you to deliver
So many starts and few little ends
Left hanging, feeling incomplete…

$The Price you PAY$

By J.D. Gordon

1. 
   
   If you believe the cost of an education is exorbitant, then consider the price you pay to learn some of the crucial lessons life teaches.
2. 
   If it seems painstakingly difficult to achieve unity then consider the price you pay for not working together as one body.
3. 
   If you believe loving is difficult, consider the price you pay for falling in love with the wrong person.
4. 
   If you find it difficult to exercise a little patience, consider the price you pay for your impatience.
5. 
   If the cost of being caring and thoughtful to your fellow man is too burdensome for you, then consider the price of loneliness and inconsideration
6. 
   If the sweat of achieving your goals and dreams are much too much, then consider the price of feeling like your life has been a total failure
7. 
   If you think that slavery has been abolished, over and done with, then you must consider the price we are still paying for being shackled by our own minds
8. 
   Even though you may think that some persons are just not worth talking to because of their shortcomings and you are better off without them, please consider the price they pay for not having you in their life
9. 
   If you think it is expensive to dial seven digits just to say ‘Hi’, then consider the price you pay for not spending time with those who matters most to you and it is now to late
10. 
    If you believe it is too time consuming to eat right and exercise, then consider the price of regaining your health once you have mishandled it
11. 
    And if you still believe there is not much to do with your life and you can do what ever, whenever; then, consider my friend, the price you will pay when the Giver of life calls for your life account.
12. 
    We all go through life craving things and stuff, but not just for the sake of having them; We like the feeling of owning or possessing certain things. We like the attention it brings to us and our own feelings of accomplishment and security. Whatever the reason, what is certain is that we want a house, a car, an education for the benefits and the experience they bring. We crave a certain experience, be it emotional, spiritual or intellectual. But, oh the price we pay.

Making Every Minute Count

How often do you tell yourself you are going to do something and just never got around to doing it?

It is a well known fact that procrastinators do not get as much done, which usually means they have less money and more stress. But this isn’t true for only procrastinators but for those who have to live or work with them too. Think of how much more difficult your life is at times because you have to deal with people who are either not dependable or who just keep procrastinating.

Life is like a passing wind and so we have to grab what we can and share as we go along. There really isn’t much time for “if only” and “I’ll do it tomorrow”

A very integral part of the process of making every minute counts is having a good knowledge of where your time goes. The same is true for managing your time and the same is true for managing your money. Know where your efforts are going. But how does this help? Well firstly, it will help you to make meaningful changes and to redirect your life onto your preferred path.

My first son, Joshua was born on August 21, 2008. Now I am faced with the challenge of trying to fit in what I do into his time. Not the other way around of fitting him into my regular schedule. By taking this approach I have already established where my priority lies and better yet, I have recognized the value of making every minute counts in my child’s life.

These are some of the stuff I tell people in order to help them to make every minute counts:

Don’t just say what you are going to do – JUST DO IT!

Conduct a time audit to determine how you spend each 24 hour. (Evaluation of an entire week is quite meaningful)

Making every minute counts is a habit, just like wasting time is.

When the fear of the consequences of not doing something outweighs your fear of the consequence of doing it, then you will do it. But either way that kind of fear is unhealthy. Fear cripples us and so we act like slaves. Not free to act as we would like, rather as we feared. God never made us to be driven by fear. So do away with your fears and act out of love and wisdom.

A lot of your success throughout your short time here on earth will depend on your ability to organize yourself, knowing when to delegate and when to say no and of course possessing the discipline and commitment to make it all happen.

Some things you will just not find favor in doing. But, even those unpleasant tasks are moments that are to be treasured as they are also times of learning.

When we make every minute counts, we will not only add life to our years but years to our lives. We become rejuvenated and refreshed knowing we are living our dream and making a difference in the lives of those we meet and even those we may never meet face to face.