The saying about 'the calm before the storm' is well known, but today that calm would have been well past and Gustav's impact on Jamaica will have been felt.

No doubt, there will be some measure of devastation from the tempest, especially in the northern region of the country which is most exposed to Gustav's passage between Cuba and Jamaica.

Only the side effects

However we should still count ourselves lucky as, at close of the 2008 hurricane season, we have had only the side effects of Gustav and Fay to deal with. By and large, we have gotten heavy rain, which causes severe damage all by itself, but not the deadly wind which removes roofs with disdainful ease.

So now we look forward to the calm after the storm, realising that the new school year begins on September 1 and we cannot let anything drown the hopes and aspirations of the next generation.

Storm of the Olympics

We also must realise that we are looking into the calm after the wonderful storm of the Olympics and while there is a second wind, so to speak, of the top athletes returning to the country, we now have to give ourselves that extra pep in our step that we got from Beijing.

We sincerely hope that Gustav does not deal a devastating blow to the island's infrastructure, as well as our morale. And we dearly wish that in the calm after the storm, we will motivate ourselves in our individual pursuits.