Congratulations Echaunti Swan, Bermuda's first Miss Hospitality

This morning I woke up a little later than usual but with good reason, my daughter and I along with my sister and brother and his wife and his wife’s family as well as a host of friends attended the Miss Bermuda contest last night to cheer on our niece, daughter, granddaughter, cousin and friend as she represented the parish of Hamilton Parish.

From the moment she entered the stage, she carried herself like she owned that stage. Her enthusiasm, confidence and that certain “je nais se quoi” that either we have or not exuded from the stage. Capturing our attention each time she walked on.  I am not saying this because she is my niece. I am saying it because my niece has always been confident about who she is. More sure of herself than some who are well into their lives have ever been or ever will be. And she is only in her early twenties! She has a head start in life she is not even aware of yet. The power of confidence mixed with compassion she has is unmatched in its combination and force.

And the reason she is the way she is because she has parents who have encouraged her from the start. Told her she was beautiful. Told her she was smart. That she was the entire package. And never discouraged her from pursuing any of her dreams regardless of whether she fit the role entirely or not. And as a result of this, she has always been able to “lean in” to coin the phrase I now get from Sheryl Sandberg. Echaunti Swan, my niece, is a great role model for young ladies because she puts herself out there all the time.

She does not hide from who she is nor does she allow anyone else to take who she is away from her. She does not lean out. She leans in with the greatest of presence. And when the night ended last night all of her dreams were not fulfilled because she really wanted to win the Miss Bermuda contest. With her saying ,”I was so close”.

In my eyes, she won more than she ever could have with the crown, she won the hearts of the people. And that is something so rare. She walked away with the first Miss Hospitality, Miss Congeniality and First Runner Up in a contest that shows not only that looks matter to a certain extent. But it also showed to be successful young ladies must be able to command the stage, be who they are right here right now and be able to show they are capable of “leaning in”.

I always thought being in a beauty contest was absolute folly until last night when I saw something in my niece that is so lacking in our world right now, the light of possibility and abundance shining through in her eyes. The presence of the Source radiating from every bit of her inner spirit pulling us, drawing us all in. To my niece Echaunti Swan, daughter of my brother Eddie Swan and his wife Lisa Swan, granddaughter to Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, niece of Sharon and Scott, and niece, cousin and friend to many others we know you are about to enter the world stage with so much learnt from your experiences thus far in life culminating in you not getting the top prize last night but in you seeing and believing in who you are and embracing you. Allowing you to open yourself to possibility and grace.

Good luck Echaunti with the rest of your life. You've only just begun.

And more importantly, you have been given a gift from the Universe in taking you so close to what you wanted but not quite giving it to you yet because you are being prepared for something greater. You are being led to exactly where you need to go. To be. To see. And when you see it and be it there will be no stopping you then. And we are all rooting for you.

My well wishes also to the winner of the Miss Bermuda Contest, Miss Smiths Parish, Katherine Arnfield and to all of other contestants who were brave enough to walk the plank as the saying goes. Good luck to you all.