(EDITOR’S NOTE: Shena Newton posted this wonderful article on her Facebook page that I am delighted to share as a Guest Commentary with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE. Ms. Newton works at Ministry of Tourism and is a former General Manager of the Ministry’s Foreign Language Unit.)
GUEST COMMENTARY: BY SHENA NEWTON
NASSAU, Bahamas, May 4, 2020 — There is absolutely nothing pleasant about Covid-19. The 24-hour curfew, the weekend lockdowns, the ugly masks, the collapsed economy, the dark uncertainty, the conspiracy theories. No! — there is absolutely nothing pleasant about this pandemic. Yet, the restrictions of Covid-19 have brought about some pleasant things that would never have happened had it not been for Covid-19.
Like two days ago, my daughter, who lives abroad, threw out a suggestion to me, “Mummy, why don’t you and I read a book together? I’ll purchase a kindle edition of Michael Todd’s latest book for you and me. We’ll read it then discuss it over the phone.” I liked the suggestion, but then I remembered that I’m locked out of my kindle app. My daughter had a quick solution. She would purchase a kindle edition of the book for her cell phone and she would read aloud to me over the phone. Brilliant!
Last night we finished chapter 2 of Michael Todd’s book “Relationship Goals.” In a manner that’s fun, cool and real, Michael Todd, the popular millennial preacher, breaks down the importance of relationships and how to build and nurture them for the long haul.
My major takeaway from Todd’s book so far is that before you enter into a relationship as a couple, you should have purpose; that is, be engaged in purposeful pursuit. Todd draws this teaching from the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Before God brought Adam his helpmate Eve, Adam had a JOB, the job of tending the garden. Todd cautions that you can’t expect to find your purpose in your partner. That is just too much pressure to put on a person. You must come into the relationship already equipped with purpose.
I’m learning a lot of truths about relationships from Michael Todd, but what I like most about reading this book is hearing my daughter read. The last time my daughter read a book aloud to me, she was a child. Hearing her read aloud transports me back to the days when she and her brother were learning to read and I would make them read a book or two to me every night before bedtime.
I must admit, were it not for this tyranny called Covid-19, I would not be enjoying this tender moment of having my adult daughter read a book to me.
