AS TOLD TO BC PIRES

My name is Simone Camps and I would like to bring peace to people.

I was born in Cascade but moved very young, about three years old, so I consider myself as coming from Petit Valley.

I’ve lived in Fort George, St James, longer than Valley, but consider both places home.

I come from a family of five children, a pretty big family. In our time it was an average one.

I was married for 20 years and have three adult children, my biggest achievement in life. My ex and I are lucky we have tremendous love and respect for each other.

I have a partner now, but we live apart. We spend weekends and holidays together.

After many years of living alone I have gotten to really value my own space.

I went to Holy Name Prep. And then Holy Name Convent.

Our neighbourhood had many empty lots growing up, so we had great places to play. We used to spend hours in the Diego Martin River, although now it just looks like a big drain. We would cross the highway, climb down into the river and catch guabine. I have a memory of seeing an eel once.

We would collect hog plums from a big tree up the road to serve at half-time at the many home-made concerts we put on. I can’t remember who would be in the audience. Neighbours?

We pulled in neighbourhood kids to have our own Carnival competition, the costumes made from pieces of costumes we collected from masqueraders when Mum would take us in town on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

I remember roaming up the main road to what is now Don’s Roti Shop to buy guava sweets normal-normal.

Something I wouldn’t have let my children ever do. There were a lot less cars on the road back then and they didn’t drive so fast.

Gosh, I really had a wonderful childhood!

I was raised Catholic, but was never really. The dogma of judging people – gay, adulterer, etc – didn’t seem right.

I started bringing up my children as Catholic. But the day of my first son’s confirmation, they had one reading for the males – “I am proud of you” and another for the females – “Try not to embarrass your parents.” And I decided not to go back.

Now I only go for funerals and weddings.

I always thought this life was it and, when we die, it’s the long cold sleep.

However, I have begun to see we are all energy and therefore will continue.

[caption id="attachment_1017352" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Simone Camps - Mark Lyndersay[/caption]

But since I have no sense of that “energy” me, I have to be as kind, compassionate and giving as I can be in this life.

I can’t change poverty, starvation, war, abuse in the whole world, so no sense in beating up on that. I concentrate on how I treat people.

I am not afraid of dying. I have lived a wonderful life.

Of course, I may change my tune if faced with a death sentence.

I have a terrible memory. Actually it’s more that I simply don’t pay attention.

I love music but prefer silence.

I studied ballet and my first-ever job at age 19 was with a travelling contemporary company. We danced in France, Switzerland, Italy, Korea and Japa