Lorna M. George. Photo: VINO/File

On several occasions when I spoke with my uncle the late H. lavity Stoutt, the first Chief Minister of the [British] Virgin Islands, he never failed to say, “Lorna, love your country”. Today I am glad for the advice given because it has made a big difference in my life and how I view my society. I realise we are one big family and we should love and respect each other. The love I have for my country has given me a sense of pride and confidence that I cannot imagine. I feel proud to be a product of this soil and can identify with people like Noel Lloyd, Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, H. Lavity Stoutt, and Willard Wheatley etc of this great country. I am honoured to be a [British] Virgin Islander.

The love I have for my country prevents me from being just a critic of the present situations. My love helps me to see the shortcoming of our leaders and to realise that leading a country is no easy task. The leadership of a country calls for men and women of knowledge, understanding, insight and wisdom. I pray that God will give me the opportunity to help improve my society and make better life for my people. Sad to say many [British] Virgin Islanders do not have national pride nor do they understand the importance of loving their country. Nothing else gives one a sense of pride and belonging as love of one’s country. Love of country and national pride give us self-confidence and self-esteem in ourselves. Our love of country and national pride has a way of making us feel distinguished. As I walked on Tuskegee University Campus one morning, a friend said,” Here comes Lorna, a queen in her own rights. I never fail to let others know that I am from the most beautiful country in the world- the [British] Virgin Islands. What else can I say? My sunrise was in this society, and I am a born and bred BVIslander and very proud of it.

Love of country and national pride should be taught in the school system. Our children should have a sense of pride and know the privilege of being born in the Virgin Islands, a free society, where they do not have to face prejudice from other ethnic groups. The Virgin Islands is the land of my birth and no other country can compare to Nature’s Little Secret. I definitely love where I was born. I thank God every day that I was born in the [British] Virgin Islands. The people here are warm, kind, loving and compassionate. We must teach our children to love where they were born. It will give them a sense of confidence, pride and dignity. They must be taught that the Virgin Islands is their country and they must love it with all their being.

Each [British] Virgin Islander has access to the highest office in this country. It does not matter their family background. Regardless of where we go or what we do we cannot change the land of our birth. We should take a page out of the book of the Americans. No one is more patriotic and loves their country like Americans. Americans are proud to let the world know that they are Americans where ever they go. Virgin Islanders, that is the way we should be- patriotic! This is our home. Many expatriates love our little island and call it home; how much should we who were born here? Like John F. Kennedy, we should love our country and seek to serve it instead of always seeking help from our country. Our love for our country makes us want to go beyond the call of duty to serve our country in whatever capacity we could.

In conclusion, we must love our country because loving our country gives us a sense of pride, confidence and dignity in ourselves. Most of all it makes us feel distinguished. With so many nationalities in our society, BVIslanders it is imperative that we distinguished ourselves or we would become lost among the other nations. We must love our country with the desire to give service above self. According to Marianne Williamson, “In every community there is work to be done. In every nation there is wound to be healed. In every heart there is power to do it.” Yes, in this our beloved VI there is power in every heart to help improve our country; however, this power that will make a difference must be tapped by love to serve beyond the call of duty and make a difference in the lives of our fellow [British] Virgin Islanders. Yes, in this our beloved VI there are wounds to be healed; however, God will give grace to heal our wounds if we seek him as a people because  there is no wound too deep that he cannot heal.