Pull Quote: “It was so good to read. And you used to do poetry in school. You had to do poetry. You used to have to say a poem, memorize poems, but that is not happening in schools anymore.”By Leon SuseranIt is indeed a momentous and special occasion when one lives most of one’s life and then suddenly discoversStephanie Bowrytheir inner being, their talent, and finally comes to the realization about their true purpose in this world. You continue to live your days when—just like that—it hits you! Your gift which you had possessed all the time within you is exposed, strengthened, and then you nurture that gift for the good of mankind. Loved ones around you lend you that support and this makes it all the more worthwhile.So it is with this week’s ‘Special Person’, Mrs. Stephanie Felicia Bowry, who resides at Smythfield, New Amsterdam.Writing poetry is not everybody’s favourite thing to do these days. In fact, our generation today has lost the essence of what poetry is really about. Many of us do not even read anymore. Most young people today do not know what it means to truly love and appreciate the messages of poetry. Mrs Bowry not only loves and appreciates poetry, she lives it! She is renowned in literary circles for a creative way with words – in forming verses that can sooth the soul. She has appeared in almost every major centre in Guyana where she was called upon to perform and dramatize some of her more popular pieces of poetry.Her love for poems and short stories has matured today in the publishing of three books, with the fourth one at the printer’s desk.Stephanie Felicia Bowry was born at Cumberland Village in East Canje on September 6, 1946,Wholesale China Jerseys, to Henry and Duchess Thomas. She grew up for some time in Cumberland, and then moved to her current location of Smythfield. Her father, who went away while she was very young, was a plumber and her mother,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, a domestic. She had 3 brothers and 3 sisters.Her memories of childhood are as vivid as they come. She sat down to share some of her more pleasant memories. She can’t remember being unhappy or hungry, and even though she did not live in a mansion, she had so much fun.Stephanie recalls going to school at Cumberland Methodist then later attending the Mission Chapel School in the town of NewDr George Norton presents Mrs. Bowry with a special accolade from the Gender and Equality Commission at the National Cultural Centre in August 2011Amsterdam. She reflected, with a smile, on one of her favourite chants during a popular game they used to play between the columns of Mission Chapel, “You ready? Yes, I coming, yes; this way? That way? Yes. Anyway, yes, I coming”. She also remembered the “last lick” that they, as friends, used to give each other while going home from school. “I cherished those days.”She got married in 1978 to one Mr Richards and then later in 1985 to veteran Berbice footballer, Kenrick Bowry. They met since they were both employed with the New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council’s Office. She was employed as a Clerk and subsequently took a course in Foundation in Accounts. She was then transferred to the Treasurer’s Department. Mr Bowry was the Officer in charge of the Town Constabulary. Her second marriage, she noted, allowed her to see herself in a different light and this paved the way to a deeper self-discovery. The first union bore 5 sons – Dwayne, Graham, Richard, Anderson, Mark – and the second union bore one, Colin.After retiring in 2001, she continued by working with the Business School in New Amsterdam and Comforting Hearts, a Non-Governmental Organization, as Finance Officer. She was also involved in a lot of social work, “sensitizing school children, work places….counseling generally and so on”. She also worked with the Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre.Stephanie enjoyed spreading the word about HIV/Aids and helping persons to live safer lives and to adopt better behaviour patterns. During this period, she gained meaningful experience working with employees and talking to them about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).“That kind of work gave me a kind of fulfillment and you feel that you have at least reached one person.”Despite being an introvert, Mrs Bowry somehow was able to “come out of the shell”, and then it all began.“I discovered myself and then I was able to blossom. Sometimes, because of lack of opportunities and environment, you become sort of pressed down. You have talents, or you can do something, and they are not allowed to come to the fore, but then, as you go along in life, and the opportunities come, you discover you can do this or that and then you have the chance to rise.”So who encouraged that transformation and self-discovery? She credits “the inner strength and belief in myself that I got from my [second] marriage”, because “everything fe