One of the most admirable things in life, I believe, is the beauty that radiates from a person. I’m not speaking of physical beauty, but that special something that causes you to notice a person the instant that he or she steps into a room. It’s rare to come across an individual with such inner beauty that you actually stop what you’re doing and wonder what could possibly have produced such an amazing human being. This is what happened to me the moment I met Kenisha Thom, Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2006.

Before I could introduce myself, she offered her hand and told me who she was. As we sat down to lunch, I was somewhat anxious to get on with the interview. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who interrupted just to congratulate her as we spoke and the grace with which she thanked each person before we continued. She seemed to be so confident and comfortable in her surroundings and her level of maturity unfolded with each passing question. I remember telling her that she looked more attractive in person compared to the photographs I had seen. She replied with a broad smile, “I guess my personality brings out my true beauty!”

Amazingly enough, we never really completed a formal interview. The following week, we decided to meet again. This time, Kenisha volunteered to pick me up in her new car. I must admit that I felt a bit important. Imagine being driven around by one of the ten most beautiful women in the Universe!

My conversation with Kenisha was very down to earth and extremely informal. I believe this made it more possible for me to know the real person behind the title of Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2006, and also for each of us to share how we felt about certain things in life.

Of all the people who surround her, Kenisha spoke most lovingly of those closest to her heart—her dear family, her cherished friends and, of course, her extraordinary boyfriend. She prides herself on being a family-oriented person and pointed out that even though she did not come from an affluent background, she has acquired infinite wealth in the form of humility and spirituality. Kenisha has received a lot of support from her family and friends. She jokingly responded, “That’s why he’s still there,” when I asked whether her boyfriend has encouraged her to follow her dreams. She spoke of the amount of love she felt towards members of his family and how comfortable she is among them. It was at this juncture that I asked whether she had plans for getting married and having a family of her own. “I would love to. It’s my dream. I want to have a family. I definitely want to get married.”

Of course, the Miss Trinidad and Tobago title carries a lot of weight. Despite a multitude of interviews and trips to be undertaken, Kenisha seems to be a focused, young woman. She mentioned that so far she has travelled to New York, London, China, Canada and the Caribbean. An employee of the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Kenisha is determined to continue developing herself academically. She mentioned her plans to continue her studies in the field of business, as soon as she is able to get time away from her official duties. However, because of the number of opportunities presented to her at this point in her life, she is unsure as to which direction she will take in the near future. Since I am fully aware that Kenisha’s mom is a teacher, I wondered whether it had ever crossed her mind to follow in her mother’s footsteps. “If it’s interacting with children, I don’t have a problem doing it as a career. If it’s with them – the children.”

While chatting, we had stopped off at the post office for her to mail a letter. It was not until we were nearing the end of the interview that Kenisha informed me that the letter was in fact a reply to one of her fans. I had gotten the impression that she had a very special envelope to mail because of her eagerness to post it. As she observed my confused expression, she explained that it doesn’t take much time to respond to people who give her the motivation to continue what she’s doing. She views this as part of her duties as Miss T&T.

The holder of such a title is usually important enough to have a lot of people ensuring that she has everything which she requires. I assumed that the elegant woman sitting next to me must have an assistant or a team of individuals looking after her. Kenisha laughed, “An assistant? Maybe when I’m rich! I am very, very independent. Sometimes people have to volunteer to do things for me because I find it hard to ask, since I believe that I’m inconveniencing others.” She added that she prepares her own meals and manages to exercise on a daily basis without a personal trainer. We joked as she told me what her meals consist of. They all have one thing in common—salad. Does she ever splurge? “Of course, I do. I’m only human. Then I feel bad the day after,”she giggled.

Before the interview ended, she smiled and said, “So, tell me about yourself.” I quickly reached over to turn off my recorder and both of us burst out laughing. One of the things that struck me most was how remarkable this bubbly, yet chic, young lady was. I guess the serious part of the interview was over, but Kenisha insisted on learning about me and my life. Eventually, I needed to turn my recorder back on, simply because when it came to life and matters of the heart, she knew what she wanted and also how to get there. “Do it for you. Do it because you want to,” she stated bluntly. She continued to explain that everything that has happened in her life, every decision that she has made was because she saw the need to move forward so that she could become a better person, not just on the outside, but also on the inside. She pointed out that her choice to enter a beauty pageant was not made by anyone but herself because she knew that she had the potential to become someone who could make a difference. She also felt that she could be an inspiration to other girls to become motivated to work towards their dream.

In the end, even though I had gone to interview Kenisha Thom, Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2006, I felt as though I had spoken to a friend whom I had not seen in years. Before she left, we discussed a question which has been asked by another interviewer some time ago. I really wanted to find out her reasons for giving the answer which she had. Kenisha was asked in that interview to name an animal which she would like to be if the opportunity ever presented itself. She had answered, “A butterfly”. She smiled when I asked her, “Why not an eagle or a lion?” Her answer really made an impact. “Of all the animals in the world, it’s the one that goes through a series of changes. It gets to experience life in many different forms and finally, in the end, it’s the best that it could ever be.”

After speaking to Kenisha, I know that is her goal in life— to be the best that she can possibly be and because of this, the magnificence that exudes from her creates a beauty that manifests itself when a person believes in him or her self and in others.