“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Once upon a time, I met the King of Hellshire Beach.
Fresh off Wall Street, I found myself living in Kingston, Jamaica. My resume says that I was on a Fulbright Grant, learning about public health. But I’ll admit that I was on a personal journey, learning about happiness.
King Brenden was a local child, playing on Hellshire Beach – a makeshift, impoverished playground, just a stone’s throw from Kingston’s slums. He playfully called himself royalty, sporting only a pair of tattered shorts and a giant, toothy smile. The beach was littered, the children were unclothed, and reggae music from different speakers clashed cacophonously – it was no kingdom.
Playing alongside him all afternoon, I realized King Brenden was rich! The company he kept – rather than worldly possessions – conveyed his wealth. His genuine laughter communicated his fortune. Amidst the chaos, he had found peace. I wanted this richness.
My year in Jamaica was fleeting, but its impact on me was not. I learned to not get caught up in who the world asks me to be and instead chase my own happiness.
I choose to be compassionate, to not watch the clock, and to get lost in conversation – even with nine-year old children.
— Anita Gupta