Are You A Survivor or Do You Have the Will to Thrive?

Claudette Esterine

"Claudette, you are a warrior, just like Nanny!"

That is what one of my Sistahs and close friends remarked when I responded to her query about our collective wellbeing.

In itself, the word "warrior," might have some negative connotations. I have certainly been accused of having "warrior-like" tendencies in the past and in the most negative sense of the word.

This time, however, my friend's use of the word and in particular her reference to "Nanny" was a compliment - one that I have completely embraced since she uttered it. 


 Who was Nanny?

 "Nanny was born c. 1686 in Ghana, Western Africa, into the Ashanti tribe, and was brought to Jamaica as a slave. It is believed that some of her family members were involved in intertribal conflict and her village was captured. Nanny and several relatives were sold as slaves and sent to Jamaica. Upon arrival in Jamaica, Nanny was likely sold to a plantation in Saint Thomas Parish, just outside the Port Royal area. Such plantations grew sugarcane as the main crop, and the slaves toiled under extremely harsh conditions.

As a child, Nanny was influenced by other slave leaders and maroons. She and her "brothers", Accompong, Cudjoe, Johnny and Quao ran away from their plantation and hid in the Blue Mountains area of northern Saint Thomas Parish. While in hiding, they split up to organize more Maroon communities across Jamaica: ...Nanny and Quao founded communities in Portland. 

By 1720, Nanny and Quao had settled and controlled an area in the Blue Mountains. It was given the name Nanny Town, and consisted of the 500 acres (2.4 km²) of land granted to the runaway slaves. Nanny Town had a strategic location as it overlooked Stony River via a 900 foot (270 m) ridge making a surprise attack by the British practically impossible. The Maroons at Nanny Town also organized look-outs for such an attack as well as designated warriors who could be summoned by the sound of a horn called an Abeng.

Nanny was very adept at organizing plans to free slaves. For over 30 years, Nanny freed more than 800 slaves, and helped them to resettle in the Maroon community." Source: Wikipedia

Yes, I am of African descent and proudly so, however, most of my life was spent in cities and urban areas. City girl that I am, nonetheless, should you drop me off in a wooded area, after a few hours of crying, my instincts would kick in and I would find food or someone to feed me.

I am a survivor.

Umbrella Palm (Image: msucares.com)

Now I am learning how to thrive. Another Sistah and Guest Author, Dr. Janice Chang, said to me just this past week as well that we "have to bloom where we are planted." Looking over my life, one could call me an umbrella palm.  

"The umbrella palm, known botanically as Cyperus alternifolius, is native to Madagascar. It is related to the well-known papyrus once used to make paper." This beautiful palm thrives anywhere and in whatever condition you plant it.

My transplantation has taken me from Jamaica, across Europe (East and West), back to the many islands of the Caribbean and throughout North America. Single, married, long term relationship, separated, not sure and every other permeation of "coupledom" you can imagine, I have experienced it.

For every stop, on every pause and in every mating my thought was "this is the one." As Nanny did, I strategically placed myself and went to battle for my relationship, marriage or life to work, to be perfect or at least not worse than the Jones's.

Heart break after heart break, financial loss to ruin, business failure and complete collapse, only once did I really thought and made an effort to give up. The survivor in me always broke through and "found food," fuel for the next leg of the journey.

"With every choice you create the life you’ll live; with every decision you design it." Molli Marti

Two days from the start of May 2014 and I have decided it is time to thrive!

No longer mindful of what anyone thinks, with no desire for bling or even a white picket fence, Love has become my eyes and my compass. Hardly realistic you might think, especially for a woman who has been betrayed, robbed, cheated, wounded by this thing called love.

Listening to my teachers this morning, the response to the cynicism that is certain to meet this decision came. "See the world through the eyes of Source (Love)" and only that can be my experience.

Yes, I accept the name "Nanny," but only if it means that moving forward, this life is no longer about fighting against anything or anyone. Thriving is my way forward, living in the fullness of my "greatest responsibility [which] is to live a life that nourishes your highest truth." That is my "battle," the hill that I am prepared to die on - to thrive as I be and become the fullest expression of Love.

Are you ready to thrive? Share your thoughts with me here or on our Facebook page. You can also follow us on Twitter.

Do have a truth-filled rest of the day!

Claudette Esterine is the Founder of Daughters of Sheba Foundation and Editor of our blog. She is a Jamaican-Canadian and a Free Spirit.