Rosetta Ransome is one of the quietest, most unassuming women that you would ever meet. If you are fortunate and have dug beneath the surface, you will discover a powerful woman of faith who constantly aspires to help everyone she meets to have an encounter with Christ.
But among her many attributes of wife, mother, grandmother, pet owner and friend, she can now add published author to her list of titles.
In October 2022, Rosetta’s first book of poetry entitled My Way of Life was produced and launched. However, the journey of writing this 16-page booklet of delightful poetry was many years in the making. It began when she was 12 years old and to this day she remembers the words of her mother, “You could if you wanted to.”
Being born in Point Fortin in the 1950s might be enough to explain her sweet, warm personality. I mean, it’s no secret that “South is Love”. In 1973 their family moved to San Juan where she met her husband whom she married within a year and birthed four wonderful children, the most well-known is the ever-popular Fr Steve Ransome.
Rosetta’s journey is one of growth and transformation. It is in fact a lighted path that many can follow because she was not born a Roman Catholic; in fact, she is a product of the RCIA programme, and to this day credits the RCIA programme, the Caribbean School for Catholic Communications, and her participation with the Living Water Community for helping her to discover her many gifts and talents.
In 1990, while many of us cowered in fear and worry over the attempted coup, Rosetta began putting pen to paper and expressing herself poetically. This was the genesis, but it would be over three decades later that she would reach out to her friend Linda for help in typing them up. Unbeknownst to Rosetta, and as a surprise birthday gift, Linda designed and printed the initial copy of the book.
She then invited Rosetta to the Holy Faith Sisters’ annual Marketspace event where she knew the Archbishop would be celebrating Mass. Just as the Masswas over, Rosetta, who was trying to stay unnoticed in a corner of the hall heard her name being called to the stage.
In that moment she was mortified, only to discover it was the moment she would see her dream, the dream which started when she was 12 years old, realised. Her friend Linda conspired with the Archbishop to present and launch her first book, a moment that was witnessed by hundreds of attendees.
Rosetta’s story is a story of hope for all as nothing is impossible for God.
Here is one of the beautiful pieces which is dedicated to her husband:
Happy Anniversary
He was tall
Dark and handsome
His surname was Ransome
He stole my heart
And Cupid played his part
Memories of walking down
Mission Road to Third Avenue
And people looking at us from their balcony
We were an odd couple
One tall and the other short
Raising babies was a joy,
So much that we had four
We already had two girls and a boy,
Two years later we had one more
Forty-eight years have been put to the test.
Yet still my life has been blessed
Happiness came in so many forms
Four grandsons and two pets
Sparky died but we still have Rusty,
He makes us run about until we get thirsty.
In spite of happy, cry and sad
We still have wonderful memories.
Happy Anniversary my dear.