Because tears seem to find their way easily to my eyes, I wrote down what I planned to say. Below you will find what I shared in honor of the fifteen year relationship between Saba and Lipscomb.
Fifteen years ago...
The new airport at Flat Point had just opened.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had won the Super Bowl in January.
Jonathan Johnson was a teacher at Sacred Heart School
Eminem, 50 Cent, and Sean Paul were at the top of the charts as young new artisits.
We were not worried about Dory yet, we had just started to try and find Nemo.
Erin Gupton was 11. Myron Hassell was 6. And Peter Johnson was 13.
Fifteen years ago...
The sweet name of Mrs. Clement wasn't even spoken yet on the campus of Saba Comprehensive School.
The space shuttle Colombia disintegrated upon re-entry to earth.
The Netherlands celebrated the birth of Princess Catherina-Amalia that year.
George W. Bush was president of the United States.
Conner Crocker was 8. Michael-Angelo Hassell was 1. Sadie Thomas and Shijdy Riley weren't even thought of yet.
Fifteen years ago...
The Unique Shop was down the one-way street in Windwardside, and Breadline Plaza didn't exist.
Willard's set atop the cliffs on Bobby Hill.
War was ever present in the Middle East. The world knew a new type of terrorism.
Luke Countryman was 7. Rachel Dye was a sophomore in highschool. Billy Jean Rodriguez was about to be born on plane on the way to St. Martin.
Fifteen years ago, the local Saba Comprehensive School food preparation, care, and tourism teacher was a young, Southern U.S. gal named Aletha. Her students called her Ms. Thomas. And this teacher was in love. She was in love with her new tall, dark, and handsome husband. But she also had fallen in love with a 5-square miles God had placed in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.
I was completely in love with this little island and her people...and I still am.
Fifteen years ago, thirteen people landed on Saba and carried the name of Lipscomb University.
And fifteen years later, in many minds, when March rolls around you can't have one without the other.
Some may say that this all started as something random. That by chance two folks ended up calling Saba home for a couple years and one of them happened to have been a Lipscomb graduate. Many people call it coincidence. But God knows.
God knew we needed Saba. God knew Lipscomb would have a place here. God knew a relationship was needed. All of this is a result of one thing...God's love.
Many folks think Lipscomb brings a lot to the island and we teach a lot of needed things. That this is one sided. I assure you that isn't the whole story. It isn't one sided at all. You see, I...we...Lipscomb learns a lot from the island...from you. You have forever changed us and all the others that have graced your shores in the past fifteen years.
So I end with not my words, or the words of Michael, but I end with words of a wise and strong Saban. In fact, I'd say she is one of the wisest people I have ever known, and I am very thankful she shares two of her grandsons with me.
"To have love you must have God. Love comes only from God. The saying says the one who lives in love, lives in God. In my opinion you must have God to have love. Love comes from the heart. You must have a pure, clean heart to see people through loving eyes. Love is not an easy thing. To love you have to be understanding, encouraging, respectful, forgiving. Sometimes you want to love somebody...they may be rude and disrespectful...just try your best and pray about it. The same for forgiving people; whatever they do, you love them and forgive them. Love is not an easy thing. To love you have to have a pure, clean heart."
Mrs. Carmen Simmons-Nicholson
Brought tears to my eyes! we are blessed to know you all and welcome you all every year to Saba! God bless you all!
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