Today’s WOTW….I don’t even know where to begin because this lady is admirable and inspiring on another level.
Imagine walking along Coral Street near the Jeremie Street Taxi Stand, minding your own business when you spot some sweet looking and smelling sugar cane on sale, then you immediately look for the vendor because…you have to have that cane, then you freeze.
You are frozen in awe because you see in the space of five seconds, a cheerful looking woman, with a teenage boy standing next to her holding a baby, chop an empty coconut in half and make a makeshift spoon in two swipes.
She then proceeds to take the baby from the young boy, starts to breast feed said baby whilst standing, hands you a five dollar bag of freshly chopped cane, then collects money from you and the coconut customer, and hands you your change which she sifted out of a small bag…all with one hand.
When she hands you the money, you notice her hands…strong worker hands, they don’t match her warm face that reflects laughter and softness, but they exude strength and resilience.
You then look at her again and think: “Sa séFanm!”
Well readers, this was no imaginary tale, this was a first encounter with today’s WOTW, Diana Greenwood.
The 39 year old mother of four old lives at Babonneau, and has spent her entire life working hard to achieve her dreams of happiness, whilst providing for her family.
Although she spent some time working in the hotel sector, her hard working instinct never slowed down, because during that time, she held two jobs…one as a receptionist and another in housekeeping at a prominent hotel resort.
With that said, Greenwood stated like her mother, she has always been a farmer at heart: “I have been doing that since I was a little girl. My mother was a farmer and used to sell in the market, and I used to go along with her. So I’ve known how to use a cutlass from very early on. I enjoy what I do. When I don’t have goods to sell, I go all out, I go all the way to places like Dennery to get food and I bring it here to sell and serve my customers.”
As for doing it all with a four month baby in tow, and making it all look so easy, Greenwood said: “It feels great to be able to be on the job whilst looking after your children at the same time…it’s a privilege.”
Her hard work has not gone unnoticed the Super Shero told The VOICE it is common for people to stop and marvel at her as she carries on with her hustle. She said they especially admire the way she always seems to do her job with a smile, whilst doing it well.
Greenwood said: “It’s all about customer service, you have to be good to customers and everybody else and business will continue to come your way.”
In the end, the friendly mama bear revealed something to me that was so humbling and deep, that it warms my heart every time I remember her words.
She said: “Growing up, I always said I want to have a house, car and a husband before I have my children, and guess what? I got all what I wanted and everyone is healthy so my girl, I’m a happy woman.”
Now hearing such a hard working woman speak of such simplicity and joy, with so much humility, doesn’t it make you want to re-evaluate what we really should consider to be the most important things in life?
