Miriam Samuel is approaching the midpoint of her 90 Days to 90 Years of Kindness campaign, and on Wednesday, she celebrated International Day of Happiness (IDH) by visiting the Charlesworth T. Samuel School in the village of John Hughes.
IDH is designated by the United Nations as a day to celebrate happiness as a fundamental right, by promoting a balanced approach to economic growth that supports happiness for all. The theme for IDH 2024 is ‘Reconnecting for Happiness: Building Resilient Communities.’
Arguably one of Antigua and Barbuda’s most active senior entrepreneurs, Miriam Samuel, a retired educator taught at nine schools throughout Antigua. Her visit on Wednesday to the Charlesworth T. Samuel Primary School was an exhilarating reconnection. Miriam and her husband Charlesworth were among the first teachers assigned to this school when it opened over 60 years ago. Not only did this dynamic principal/senior teacher couple help to educate the students, they also ran a school garden and had a strong connection with the community. The school was later renamed to honor the legacy of her late husband, Hon. Charlesworth Samuel, in 2008.
On IHD, Mrs. Samuel, accompanied by her son Clement, distributed “Kindness Bags” and engaged the students in a number of activities. These included a Happiness Bingo game, in which the students engaged in a number of activities that focused on improving their happiness. She was able to connect with the grandchildren and great grandchildren of some of her past students and shared fond memories of her days teaching at the school. She recounts the strong sense of unity throughout the mostly agrarian community of John Hughes and reminisces how neighbors shared produce from their gardens with each other, to ensure that no one was hungry.
Teacher Mirie is also a member of the Gideons International and she used the opportunity to distribute bibles to the staff and students. She explained that research shows that happy people are healthier, live longer and experience less stress. “Happiness is important for our emotional, spiritual and physical health and when we are happy, we are all winners. We cannot, and should not, aim to be ‘happy’ 100% of the time, but recognize that our well being improves every time we are happy. That is, when we experience positive, enjoyable emotions, and feel a sense of contentment in our lives,” she said.
As Mrs. Samuel continues her Kindness Tour and the countdown to her 90th Birthday, this seniorpreneur and owner of an agri-business called Screwpine, is excited about rolling out new products and the launch of her book during her Birthday weekend in May. The celebratory activities will include a “Family & Friends Day Trip to Barbuda”, and “Mirie’s Local Marketplace” which will feature her handcrafted products and book signing. A church service and a birthday gala are also on the agenda.
Follow Grandma Mirie’s Kindness Tour on Facebook (grandma.mirie.2024) for a chance to win a “Kindness Gift Bag.”
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua! We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.Contact us at [email protected]
