In Memory of Norma Rivera

This post is dedicated to my late aunt, Norma Rivera. The post is a written copy of a tribute I gave at her memorial service. Included within the tribute are excerpts from a previous blog post (It’s a Matter of Life and Death).

In Memory of Aunt Norma
Tribute given on: April 16, 2014

No amount of emotional preparation can prepare you for a moment such as this. A moment we all know we will confront at some point in our lives, the moment of our final earthly goodbye to a close friend or family member.

YouTube Sensation Becomes Jamaica’s New Obsession

Within the last week we have realized the far-reaching impact of brand Jamaica. While many of us are cognizant of the fact that our culture permeates geographical as well as cultural boundaries, we are still amazed when we receive tangible evidence of its impact. Allow me to introduce you to Lucas Dipasquale, a native of Markham, Ontario who recently uploaded a cover of the dancehall song Ravin, originally song by Andre Sutherland , otherwise known as Popcaan. Lucas’ rendition done in acoustic format has since generated thousands of views and continues to take the social media world by storm.

It’s a Matter of Life and Death

Death is a reality we will each face. Death represents the finality of our earthly experience; it is the end to life as we know it in the flesh. What pains us is the realization that each lived experience will one day have an end. Depending on your belief, many of us will acknowledge that there is an afterlife, a life lived through our spiritual self, yet one very different from our human interactions.