Thursday, March 8, 2012

Prince Harry the Great!

Brethren can we candidly speak?

I dont mean to get all "righteous fist" movement on you guys, but there is DEFINITELY something bothering me this week.

So, all the headlines were screaming of PRINCE HARRY'S VISIT to the Caribbean,  like Jamaica, Belize and of course here in the Bahamas.


 Well! I must tell you it was quite the uproar here. Grown women and little girls alike having both fleeting and arduous fantasies of capturing the Prince's heart as he came to visit our city. Well we wouldn't have had all those years of Cinderella fantasy brain washing go to waste now would we?


If my daughter's school were taking a troop to see the Prince, I assure you that I would first ask her, how she felt the King should be preparing to meet Princess Madison instead.

Why all of this focus on exalting the "royalty" of a stranger when our children and Princes and Princesses in their own right, and right here on our own soil everyday?!

  Now I don't mean to be so bold and by no means am I being disrespectful, but WHY ARE WE SO OTHERWISE HYPED ABOUT THE PRINCE VISITING?


How did all the pomp and pageantry negate that we are no longer of the "British colonial" all hail the king/prince/Queen mindset" ? Having our students get together like good little colonized boys and girls to do songs and dances to welcome British Royalty to our Island and roll out the red carpet for him? Hospitality??  o.k. I can accept that.


And, Yes I get it, he was showing that he was down to Earth by grooving with natives and dancing and merry making, and this was both delightful and refreshing. I am sure the Prince is a wonderful man.


  But to celebrate him coming to tell us..( and I paraphrase) .'.youre good lads and lasses, the Queen says you're great.  'What kind of 14th century madness is this?!



Oh and lets not forget the catapult in fame for our current Miss Bahamas as she got a chance to speak with him and wisely tangle her name with his in the headlines surrounding his visit. ( Disney music for when Harry met Anastagia plays in the background.)


But what REALLY grinds my gears is an article that I read, about an extraordinary girl named Anna, from the Island of Abaco, who is blind, and yet rose to the title of Student of the Year among Primary Schools in the Bahamas, who says: "Although I am blind, I do not accept this as a disadvantage," 

Here is an excerpt from a story I read on http://www.looktothestars.org/news/7987-prince-harry-attends-youth-rally-in-bahamas.




After His Royal Highness left she said: "Oh my gosh, it was amazing to meet Prince Harry. I was so excited and I just loved it and can’t wait to tell my family about it. He was very friendly and he was asking me about my speech, how old I was and where I was from. He asked me if I had been blind since birth.
“After my speech he congratulated me and said: Well done. All of the children I sit with at school were like: Oh my gosh, if it was us. They were so excited I was meeting him.”
In his short speech, Prince Harry told the youngsters: “I know Her Majesty would wish me to extend her personal encouragement to you all in your endeavours, whether they be in education, civic and community activities or in the sporting arena. In being here, taking part in the national youth rally, each and every one of you is promoting admirable morale, social and patriotic values.”
Prince Harry was clearly impressed with what he saw, telling them: “Basically you’re doing your country proud, and don’t you look smart. The Queen would be delighted by this and, on her behalf, I congratulate you all.”

Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/7987-prince-harry-attends-youth-rally-in-bahamas#ixzz1oXxOAoVA


 I LOVE THE FACT that Prince Harry took the time out to sit with Anna, and he must have absolutely made her day! She now felt like all of her hard work and determination was being recognized worldwide.
However, I am saddened by the fact that a simple Well Done, and a few mundane questions, and a pat on the back to this extraordinary, focused,, and talented young girl was enough, just because he was a "Prince."
I am sure that her own teachers and parents have said and done more to empower her over the years. But for some reason this Amazing child, was made to feel validated by the visit and "well done" of a prince who knew nothing of her struggle but a cover note.
 As if she was being put on a platter to say, here Prince, here is a worthy lamb for you to carry news of to the Queen.. When in essence, HE was in the presence of Greatness!!!!

And so it is with the whole Prince comes to town fiasco. "The prince runs with Usain Bolt", "The Prince dances the jig with residents", ..but How is the king changing the face of these places that he has visited besides proclaiming their shores touched by a demi god?

Our children do not need to be taught that greatness lies outside of them to those privileged by birthright, but that greatness is born of nobility, dreams, focus, recovering from failure, enterprise, endurance, smart work, networking, wisdom and love. 

I want to roll out a red carpet and have some Demi-god status for the people that are actually making a difference in our lives and in our children's lives.

Yes to some degree we all should have a posture of respect for person who have risen to levels of authority and hierarchy in their respective homes, and hospitality is definitely a must. But for us to pretend that a mystical, magical air of fortune has befallen us because the Prince has come is nonsense. Especially when we are looking our own Princes and Princesses in the face everyday.


*whispers - (FOLLOW ..I know you all love reading, appreciate your comments.....GO AND FOLLOW!)

Peace and Love!

3 comments:

  1. Hi! Stopping by from MBC. Great blog!
    Have a nice day!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Veronica! Thanks! Dont for get to follow! Im hopping over to your blog as we speak.

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  2. Excellent Post... Very Well Put!!!

    ReplyDelete