My Life Story: The man who does not know how to quit

MY

LIFE STORY:

THE MAN WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO QUIT

HIBBERT K. HAMILTON

Copyright © 2024 Hibbert K. Hamilton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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ISBN: 979-8-3850-2831-3 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2832-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024912565

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/22/2024

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

1 Challenging Days in the Beginning

2 Fun Days of Childhood

3 The Shift in School and Residence

4 The Excitement of Exploring City Life

5 Pursuance of Higher Learning

6 Spiritual Journey and Challenges

7 Evangelism Thrust

8 Deity’s Presence Makes the Difference

9 Marriages, Counseling, and Family Issues

10 Encouragement Is Essential for Advancement

11 Immigration and the Excitement of Pursuit

12 Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychology Pursuit

13 Circumstances Surrounding Immediate Family Members

14 Wife’s Issues (Dementia) and Caretaking

15 What Keeps Me Going?

16 Fainting but Still Pursuing

References

About the Author

Preface

The information you are about to read is a true report of an individual who finally decided to document the occurrences that transpired over several decades of struggles. Numerous attempts were made earlier, but the decision was delayed for several reasons. However, the drive has come again to open my reservoir of information, speak openly, and tell the story from the beginning. Although the continued postponement seemed disastrous, I have found several benefits can be gained by speaking up and revealing important information someone needs to know about.

As the days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, months turned into years, and years turned into decades, each period initiated valid contributions to expand the report. Every move carried special experiences that enriched the content as it flowed from a special set of subheadings. So, instead of writing more than one text, I have decided to produce a blending of my ideas and occurrences into one volume. Certainly, I thought that this idea would encapsulate unfathomable experiences and occurrences, which were immeasurable to me.

This paper aims to help us remember that life is what we make of it. I’m also certain that some will not agree with that notion. While some individuals are pondering, I would like to suggest that surviving is not only a challenge to humanity but also a deliberate lifestyle. That was one of the main driving forces behind the writing of this book. Life sometimes begins in a simple, poor, and underprivileged manner, but it may blossom into a transformed conclusion, which seems unrelated to the same humble beginning.

That is one of the reasons that in the beginning, some people might think some things are simple, trivial, uninteresting, and senseless. However, later, we will see how circumstances can be transformed into tenets that make sense. As life continues, the story that dictates that same life in the individual does too. For instance, there was a time when incidents didn’t make sense, and I just brushed them aside as unimportant. However, in time, I deemed those issues as important treasures. I recalled my grandmother often explaining that when an animal was not dead, I shouldn’t throw it away. A statement has several meanings, and sometimes the true meaning seems to be delayed before reaching the consciousness of most individuals.

Another interesting fact is that life can be moved from one stage to another—in and out, up and down, and over and under. Some things seem to be moving in more than one direction simultaneously. One more thing is that this is a compelling truth. Some lives have twists and turns, hills and valleys, and smooth and rough terrains. A person never knows the next move that will be made; however, each person has the power to make wise choices, be positive, focus, and plan, even when things look grim and impossible. So, it is good to keep trying even amid seeming failures.

Some individuals might never grasp the opportunity to overcome if they do not continue trying after several failures. There is an adage that is found in several cultures, which says, Nothing beats a trial but a failure. There are times when waiting for an extended time while trying hard allows the victory to be more appreciated. One reason that will authorize individuals to be more appreciated is that there will be several failures, and that individual will not continue to try those again if one already felt that one would fail again.

Acknowledgments

God guides me when my way is dark, and I cannot see where to go. He is always my defense when I’m confronted with the battles of life that are too vicious for me. The Almighty is always my fortress when life appears unsurmountable. He is my rock when I need a place to hide, even for a time. Whenever the foundation seems unsound, He is the One who stabilizes me and is my hiding place. I am therefore compelled to publicly shout out worthy praise to Him in recognition of His loving-kindness, mercy, and grace, which He has afforded me in the privilege of documenting this story.

Over several decades, God never treated me as an orphan or a stranger as I traveled along the rugged, slippery terrain of life with multiple challenges. Over the years, the miracles I have experienced at the hands of God are more than phenomena. In every aspect of my life, He has always shown up to change, alter, and correct circumstances that have gotten out of line. He places them in the proper perspective to suit His omnipotence and sovereignty. I have grown to understand that His words will not fail; neither can His promises be misguided, even in times that seem uncertain and out of line.

My lifelong partner (wife) has always supported my struggles. Through disasters, obscurity, and disappointments, she has denied herself sacrificial support for the family. Certainly, there were times when we didn’t agree on everything, but in the final analysis, her support was and is coming forth. I recall occasions when she performed not only her part of the duties in the family but also some tasks that were my responsibilities (especially issues with the children). She would also take care of and manage things that were my responsibilities for the benefit of the family. During those times, I was conducting meetings in different locations or using my vehicle to transport pastors and evangelists of the church to meet their appointments and schedules in various destinations of diverse parishes of the country.

I am also pleased to thank Dr. Clarence Duff, who encouraged and cheered me on in many aspects of my endeavors. He approved of me documenting those occurrences worth mentioning in my story. One of the reasons for his constant insistence and inspiration to me was because some of my challenges resonated with him as well. He was of tremendous assistance in helping to guide me when I chose to seek higher learning. He was extremely helpful to me in selecting the program I embarked on. He helped me choose the university where I should apply to complete the program.

This gentleman instructed me how to obtain a solid profession, which I didn’t have the opportunity to acquire earlier in my life, even before I immigrated to Canada. That was not all. When I finally began my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) program, he was right there with me when I was grossly inexperienced on the psychological platform. I only possessed a first degree in theology, guidance, and counseling. It was awkward and difficult for one who had been out of formal education for over a decade. Whenever I was stuck with unmanageable tasks, I appreciated his willingness to assist, even at the expense of his work. Whenever he made promises, he always honored them no matter what was happening around him.

My five daughters and one son have been of tremendous help when I decided to document my life story. Incidentally, I did not have the luxury of promulgating much information about some of my ancestors to them. So, it was incumbent on me to enlighten them on how I began, and the struggles I encountered along the turbulent waves of the oceans of life and mountainous terrains. Those same laborious instances and painful occasions were not endured in vain, for they became testimonies over time. I vividly recall one of my children requested that I kindly try to document information about my life and of her mother as well because she is severely incapacitated cognitively, she did not note much information before her illness.

1

CHAPTER

Challenging Days in the Beginning

What did you say? Did you say, It cannot be done? If that was what you said, I know it was a big fat lie. It is usual for individuals to lie to other folks. What makes things worse is that those who heard the lie also believed it. Whenever that statement is uttered, certain categories of individuals come to mind. Certainly, those are not the ones who are willing to attempt to accomplish anything. Chances are that those same people are professional procrastinators or underachievers. Some will always doubt and be led in paths of failure and losses. What prompted one to think that something cannot be done is one thing, while the reality of accomplishment of the same thing is another. Some individuals believe that certain feats cannot be done. The fact is that some try to accomplish some feats and fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, many others give up even before attempting to complete tasks. To get anything done, it must be done in the mind first. If the task is conceptualized in the mind, the individual is already on the way to accomplishing it, even if it is difficult. Getting things done must first be anchored in the mind before manifesting in positive actions elsewhere.

There are those individuals who make the decision not to start a task because no one has ever done it before. Those same people will even go as far as developing self-defeating prophecies, which blight their futures forever. Many people fail to begin a project because they do not know what the finished product will look like. Others, in some instances, might be terrified to approach at the beginning because some activities are usually difficult at the starting point. In every age group, some people are naturally pessimistic, aim at nothing, and hit it with the most accurate precision.

However, whatever the case may be, some will always say that it cannot be done. Another reason to consider is that many who claim that something cannot be done are bordering on laziness, procrastination, and fear. Those living in any of those conditions will always be in jeopardy of not getting things done. Laziness will surely allow some individuals to experience poverty. Laziness will ensure that some persons become sick and even die from their sicknesses. Procrastination will surely end up crippling the zeal and resilience of persons who allow it to happen. Fear does not give chances to a person who has things to do. I surely believe that Guest had all these ideas in mind when he was motivated to put the poem together in such a profound manner.

We are also aware that whatever we attempt to do, there is a possibility that the outcome can be a failure. This reality is gazing at us because we don’t know the chances we miss even when nothing is tried. Looking from another perspective, lots of records are broken, even when it previously appeared as if it couldn’t be done. That also brings us to remember that quitters never break records. We know that all achievers fail multiple times before the right time comes, for records are broken when competitors keep trying and failing until victory comes. No doubt, those individuals believe in trying one more time.

Fiction is usually created with one’s imagination. It is based on what one thinks other individuals will find believable and will gravitate toward. Fiction does not necessitate facts to appeal to casual or skeptical readers of articles undergirded by presumptions. If the material is believable, creates interest, and tickles one’s desire, one will not hesitate to go after some materials that attract laughter and interest. Often, films are enactments of fiction that initially appear in the imagination of the writers. Then they are finally developed into movies by producers and actors. On the contrary, when documenting a biography, it is certainly based on facts, because only facts are required for authenticity and total credibility.

This document, therefore, is intended to capture the reader’s attention with the true story of a life that has been lived with ups and downs, defeats and victories, and laughter and sadness. I recall as a boy listening to a pastor delivering a sermon at a church building. Although I could not fully comprehend the entire content of the message, one statement he made stuck in my mind. Every so often, it’s like a flashback in my memory. The preacher said that Whatever happens in life, whether good or bad, occurs for a reason and we must learn from it.

At this stage of my life, I endeavor to highlight and relate some of the challenges I have experienced on the long, zigzag, and slippery terrain of my life. Naturally, most of the occurrences were not easily accepted or understood. However, as I grow older and wiser, I am more than equipped to relate them with implications. I must respond to some of the implausible occurrences that present themselves. Some of those occurrences will certainly be documented later in this book. It is an expectation that some of you who read this book will resonate with this fact: Nothing has one side. Whenever there are objects that have sides, there are usually at least two sides. With that in mind, I would like to challenge you to take another look at all your conflicts and do an audit check.

Whenever that is done, you will be in a good position to see the results of your exploration. Throughout life, I have learned that when obstacles surface, and a proper conceptualization is conducted, the eventuality can be astounding. Let us all remember that challenges are tests that must be overcome. In other words, they are examinations presented with the certification of proof. If one faces the challenges head-on, one will certainly experience the ecstatic feeling of accomplishment. Victory is sweeter when the challenges are taken to a higher level. Several decades ago, Jimmy Cliff rendered a song entitled The Harder They Come (Cliff 2009).

A biography is like the eulogy of a deceased individual, in that the person involved depends on others to complete the story under consideration. On the one hand, some critical information concerning the individual must be supplied by family members or other people who know of occurrences during the person’s lifetime. It might even be necessary to document events that might have occurred before this person’s birth or when that same individual was too young to know or recognize some things that had happened. It is also true that information concerning a deceased person is usually supplied by other persons, whether older or younger because most of the content of that eulogy is often based on the lifestyle and actions of the individual who has passed on.

Although this story primarily revolves around the life story of one individual, I also think I must mention a short background about my ethnicity, which I learned along the way from more mature relatives who were in an authentic position to substantiate them. This idea brings us back to the early eighteenth century. In a general way, we think of that era as the time when slavery was probably at the zenith of its operations. It is generally said by the older generations that most of the territories within some of the Caribbean countries and other Western nations experienced that phenomenon when individuals were brought against their will from several countries around the world. They were made slaves and were sold to the highest bidders. Those persons’ primary occupations were to execute tasks for people who were rich in different ways, such as owning m parcels of land and plantations.

It is said that although slaves were brought from several territories around the world, most of the slaves were mainly from West Africa. We also learned that in that era, some of the conglomerates, landowners, and farmers in the Caribbean, were primarily from Europe. Within the territories, numerous plantation owners were from Great Britain, and Jamaica seemed to have a fair share of them. For instance, coming down from generation to generation it was general information that several plantation owners were of British descent. The document went on to state that the plantations of Antrim, Colliston, Grier Park, and Minard were owned by some Irishmen who operated their businesses mainly in farming when sugarcane was one of the main crops across the islands.

It must also be noted that by the end of that century, there were talks and efforts to end slavery. Those talks and negotiations continued into the nineteenth century. With all the pros and cons, the abolition of slavery finally occurred in the first half of the nineteenth century. General information also taught that at some point, there were some correlations between individuals of European ethnicity and darker-skinned individuals who were originally from the continent of Africa. My father Alexander Hamilton, who was born at the beginning of the twentieth century (1906), informed us that he learned that his great-grandfather was a migrant from Great Britain and owned large properties too.

So, our grandfather was of fair complexion while our father’s mother was of dark complexion. My grandfather, Robert Hamilton, was not married to my grandmother (Isamenda Brown) but married another female named Scott, who had a fairer complexion than my grandmother. That relationship resulted in most of my aunts and uncles having lighter complexions than my father. I was not even privileged to know much of that side of our relatives. Although I knew a few of my aunts and uncles, I didn’t know my grandfather, as he had died before I was born. But I knew my grandmother (father’s mother) very well as I grew up. She helped to take care of me and my other siblings. I also know how she went overboard while taking care of my father as a single parent back then. In turn, I grew up to assist her. She was challenged with her hearing and sight problems for nearly two decades before she departed this life.

My father fell in love with and married a dark-skinned lady, whom I recognized as one of the finest individuals to live on the planet. This had to do with the traits she operated with and the skills with which they were accomplished. Although I am privileged to have known some of her relatives and even interacted with many of them, I was not afforded the luxury of knowing her parents. Her mother died when she was only two years of age, and her father passed on before my birth as well. So, although I learned a wealth of information from my mother and other family members, I still ended up short of the full acquaintances in her lineage and ancestry.

Some parents inform their offspring about matters of a prenatal nature and occurrences before birth, at birth, or in the very early stages of life. Some of that same information may be potentially erroneous. However, chances are that those occurrences can be confirmed by people who know the facts that occurred during those times. Therefore, a biography stands a good chance of being credible, due to the wide audience of individuals who can confirm the accuracy of the reports. The incidents are also based on these predominant reasons the decision is arrived at—to document My Life Story: The Man Who Does Not Know How to Quit.

It must also be known that there are other reasons for documenting this story. As a child, the conditions of life usually caused me to take a keen look at life, the environment, people, lifestyles, and alternatives to what seemed to be the norm. Although most things seemed normal, there was always an underlying belief that conditions could and should be changed. Therefore, one of the main driving forces behind the detailed cases of depravity and bottom-line socioeconomic conditions I’ve mentioned is deliberate. They point out that with a positive mindset, one does not have to pursue those conditions and lifestyles forever. Bear that in mind, whether immobility, success, or failure is all etched in the landscape of the mind.

On June 5, 1945, a child was born to Arthur Alexander Hamilton and Edry Lilly (Barton) Hamilton in the section of the White Hall district and parish of Saint Ann called Tyndale. It was the sixth offspring born to the couple, but because there was a stillbirth in the family, this child stood for the fifth. It is said that in those deep rural communities, there were times when babies were delivered, sometimes they were not duly registered until lengthy periods after the births, and that begged for discrepancies. This baby boy was registered in the name of Hibbert Kenrick Hamilton. Incidentally, that was when apparent mishaps began to occur in the life of this male.

Sometime later, it was discovered that the date indicated on the birth certificate of registration was misappropriated by five days. That resulted in the date printed on the certificate remaining June 10, 1945, instead of June 5, 1945. Whether it was indiscriminately done or was orchestrated to agree with the birthday of his mother Edry, is uncertain. However, it was not altered to reflect the five-day difference. It could be that matters of that nature were not substantial in those days. So, it remained throughout the life of that male. In addition, the child was not even aware of the incident until he was a teenager, and even then, the error was not substantial.

The couple above was blessed with five children. The siblings of their children in descending order were Douglas George, Ena May, Burnette, Alrick Emily, and Hibbert Kenrick. The mother intimated to us that when she was pregnant with the last child, the name Hibbert came to her husband’s mind stuck in his mind and would not leave him. On several occasions, they discussed the matter with pros and cons. In the process of the pregnancy, the parents decided that at birth, if a male, that child’s, name would be Hibbert, and so it was. Noticeably, the first given name remained. The middle name, Kenrick, was later recommended to them by another family member, and