Of Dreams Deferred

Of Dreams Deferred 

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up

      like a raisin in the sun?

      Or fester like a sore—

      And then run?

      Does it stink like rotten meat?

      Or crust and sugar over—

                                          like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags

      like a heavy load.

      Or does it explode?

                           - Langston Hughes

Twelve years ago I traveled to Antarctica. For 12 years I have held on to my desire and dream of sharing all I saw and felt, heard, learned and smelled while on this remarkable trip. 

With only 15,000 people visiting the continent annually in 2007, (approx. 40,000 annually in 2019), but millions of people traveling to tourist destinations annually, you can see why I thought I was something special. Truth be told, I had worked for small cruise lines that sailed there and written about Antarctica over so many years, I was already primed, pumped and ready for any opportunity to go.

Volcano in the distance from
Tierra del Fuego National Park

I'll spare you the mundane details of how I led a group of journalists on this expedition and how I spoke Spanglish for five days in Buenos Aires on a pre-cruise stay. I'll even spare you the terrifying flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, at Argentina's southernmost tip - I prayed the whole way cause it was seriously an old plane flying into high winds over ridiculously high mountains. Instead I'll focus on the astounding beauty of Tierra del Fuego National Park that I visited once I was back on solid ground and the "oooh" and "aah" moments everywhere.

But I digress. I'm writing about deferred dreams. What happens to them. Langston Hughes posed a couple of very good questions. Do they dry up like a raisin in the sun; fester like a sore and then run or explode? 

Mine EXPLODED with a loud BANG the morning I woke up and found myself looking out the window on the sheer and unmatched beauty of Antarctica. 

The explosions kept going off the more I saw, felt, heard and smelled of this amazing continent. the scenery. the wildlife. the putrid smell of penguin poop as we neared their rookery. the albatrosses flying overhead. the whales breaching in the distance. the seals barking. walking among the penguins and stepping back to give them right of way. My dream exploded!

The final explosion is about to take place. I am finally presenting the Aaah-Inspiring Antarctica - A Jamaican on Ice Experience. It's educational, beautiful, fun and inspirational I believe. I'm chuffed!


The Experience features

• photo exhibit featuring approximately 40 of my images from the trip
• launch of a coffee table book and a children's book
• screening of my 14-minute film that also touches on the hot button issue of climate change
• a talk about my experience. 

I dream of taking this exhibition to places far and wide (and selling books of course).

Across the USA, to London, Canada, the Caribbean and anyone who will have me. To colleges, high schools and elementary schools. I dream of inspiring thousands - hundreds of thousands even - to explore this vast and amazing World we have been blessed with and to take conscious action to protect and preserve it for generations to come. Because, as we are reminded by Max Erhmann's words (Desiderata)

"With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world."

Never give up on your dreams! Deferred doesn't mean dead. Selah!

You can check out the experience at www.jamaicanonice.com