Residents reflect on 2025, look ahead to 2026

As 2025 concludes, residents of Bridgetown, Barbados have been contemplating their most meaningful accomplishments and aspirations for the coming year. Rather than focusing on material achievements, their responses revealed profound appreciation for life itself, demonstrating remarkable resilience and forward-looking optimism.

Yvonne Seales, 71, celebrated reaching another milestone age as her proudest achievement. With another birthday approaching, she expressed hope for many more years ahead and pride in her grandchildren’s accomplishments, particularly one who is joining the police force next week.

Daheem Murray marked a significant life transition, having relocated to Barbados from overseas. He identified embracing this new chapter as his most proud moment. For 2026, Murray has set clear entrepreneurial goals, aiming to become his own boss rather than working for others.

The year brought sobering reflections for Winston Cumberbatch, who experienced a season of loss that deepened his appreciation for life’s fragility. After witnessing the sudden passing of acquaintances, he now embraces a philosophy of daily thankfulness, living one day at a time without projecting too far into the future.

Marcado Jones expressed gratitude simply for surviving 2025 after battling illness throughout 2024 and 2025. He attributes his perseverance to divine intervention and maintains complete satisfaction with whatever path the Almighty dictates for his future.

Curt Toney offered concise but determined aspirations for 2026, hoping simply to ‘complete the same thing’—implying continued perseverance and commitment to his current path.

Collectively, these narratives from Bridgetown residents weave a tapestry of human resilience, demonstrating how Barbadians are approaching the new year with gratitude for survival through challenges and hopeful determination for continued strength in 2026.