Dear Sir,

Very good article in today’s Lifestyle section by Nadia Hall featuring Mikaela Ian Pearman (Royal Gazette, July 11, 2017).

Along with being an interesting personal interest story, it promotes a much needed message that it is indeed possible to make personal choices in life which reap rewards. It is good to hear of the results available by employing self-motivation and endurance, building on experiences — good and bad ones — and taking advantage of opportunities which exist for those who choose to recognise and embrace them; as opposed to jumping on the bandwagon touting “entitlement” theories.

It is otherwise very disheartening to hear other rhetoric about what [the Government] needs to do to ensure everyone benefits, although government and other community organisations certainly do have their role to play. However, everyone will never benefit equally since many simply do not possess the vision for themselves; nor are they self-motivated with the needed drive and determination — applied in a productive manner.

Too many wait too long to wake up to their future being in “their own hands”, using the tools that are at their disposal, and instead succumb to the easier route of “woe is me” and “blame somebody else”, or ultimately the Government, for their lack [of everything].

On the other hand, there are far too many success stories of those from disadvantaged, or categorised as less-advantaged backgrounds, for us to accept that success depends more on outside sources than on one’s own will within, propelled by the positive or negative mindset one chooses to be fuelled by.

It is thus very refreshing to highlight individuals who first recognise the positive [things available and happening on our island], and then choose to embrace them in making personal efforts and, most importantly, personal sacrifices to reap benefits from them. Such individuals who don’t expect things to come easily or quickly, but instead make needed efforts or inconvenient hours or travel distances to make things happen for themselves — along with the village, which invariably rallies around one with such a positive mindset demonstrated by their own efforts. Also, as an aside, once again dispelling the worn-out theme that race [rather than mindset] is a deciding factor to benefit from “currently existing” opportunities.

Although perhaps not Ms Hall’s motive, we need more of this type of positive propaganda to redirect the focus of our Bermuda; not meaning to bury our heads in the sand, but recognising the sure but steady tides that can get heads out of negative ruts.

Hats off to Ms Hall for highlighting Ms Pearman; yet another example of those who take advantage of opportunities that do exist rather than harping on what doesn’t. Kudos to Ms Pearman for all her personal endeavours — wishing her many more successes to come.

May we all likewise choose wisely in the upcoming election so that we can collectively remain fuelled by that which will propel our Bermuda in a continuous positive direction.

SANDRA SMITH