“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” – Proverbs 19:21
Life sometimes arranges the most remarkable coincidences — the kind that feel so perfectly orchestrated they deserve a place in one’s memoirs. One such moment unfolded during an invitation from my partner Judy’s daughter, Nicola, who lives in Barbados.
She had arranged a small November 2025 Saturday evening gathering over fish cakes, pudding and souse, brownies and liquid refreshments. The occasion was the viewing of Charlotteville Tails, an award-winning film by her Tobagonian cousin, filmmaker Elspeth Duncan who was recently honored as Best Film Made in T&T at the Trinidad Film Festival. The documentary focuses on compassionate care for disadvantaged animals — an inspiring theme for an intimate evening among friends, including children.
Nicola kindly offered to pick us up since we do not drive at night and on the way, she collected another guest, her friend Ingrid Quarless-Rapson whom she recently met at a bootcamp exercise class and they became kindred spirits. As Nicola introduced us, something stirred in my memory. The name Quarless was unmistakable. Almost instinctively I asked Ingrid, “Are you related to Nigel Quarless?” Her eyes widened in surprise. “You knew my father?” she exclaimed. Nigel, she explained, passed away in early 2016 at age 80.
What followed felt nothing short of astonishing. I told Ingrid that as a child in the 1940s, I lived at “Ebenezer” on Crumpton Street, directly opposite the Quarless family — a lively household of four boys. I began naming them: Duncan, Everette and Anthony, all older than me. Each name seemed to close another loop in time, linking childhood memories to the present moment with uncanny precision. They were all now deceased.
Ingrid shared more about her family’s remarkable trajectory, with members achieving international success while remaining firmly rooted in their Barbadian heritage. She herself, with Jamaican Indian maternal roots, has carved an extraordinary path as a qualified nurse, doula and Yopigo instructor — a practice she created from her love of yoga, Pilates and ballet barre. Ingrid is also a deeply spiritual individual with strong ties to the Sathya Sai Baba fraternity.
The evening, meant simply for film and fellowship, instead became a poignant reminder of how the past quietly waits for the right moment to reappear — a gentle affirmation of life’s intricate, beautiful interconnectedness.
(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a corporate governance adviser. His email address is basilgf@marketplaceexcellence.com. His columns may be found at https://www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com.)