Where Memory Travels

Celebration, memory, and gratitude on the shores of Nassau.

We spent a wonderful time in the Bahamas, a beautiful island nation in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of the United States. Despite its proximity to the U.S., the Bahamas carries a long and fascinating history shaped by the British Empire. For many years, it remained a British colony before gaining independence in 1973. Even today, it is part of the Commonwealth, and the British monarch is recognized as the ceremonial head of state. Traces of this history are still visible in everyday life, including the custom of driving on the left side of the road.

A Travel Memo from St. Louis

I traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, to be with my sister/cousin after her father’s passing. He lived to the remarkable age of 104. His name was Workiye Asfaw, though within the family we affectionately called him Goldiye, and sometimes Goldu, a simple English way of capturing the warmth and meaning of his Amharic name.

He is remembered not simply for how long he lived, but for how he chose to live. He was a gentle, disciplined man whose life followed a quiet rhythm of self-confidence and restraint. He was naturally reserved. You rarely hear a word from him that could disappoint or offend anyone. Often, he spoke so little that you could not easily tell where he stood on family matters or disagreements. Yet his silence was never emptiness; it was presence. He listened more than he spoke, and when he did speak, his words carried weight.

Between Celebration and Reflection: A Family Journey in the Bahamas

On the Other Side of the River