To the Editor:
Well, I tried to leave you. Packed up my life last October and set out on a journey to explore America and find a new home. Feeling like I would make a good California girl, I headed West. It was an intense adventure along the way, but I am so grateful that I had the support of many who love me traveling with me in spirit and friends rescuing me along the way.
I spent many months in Northern California trying to find my place. One morning I awoke from a dream with the words reverberating in my head, “I want to go home.” So, since many of you know I really trust in my dreams, I packed it all up again and headed back across the country. I realize I needed to leave before I could find out I was already home.
A few days ago, I got onto the ferry coming back to the Island. It was a beautiful, crisp, sunny day, and I stood on deck as we were coming into port. I was so grateful I might have missed the sign on the Shenandoah. On the road, I had read the MVTimes online each week, so I knew about the word art project around the Island, but I did not know about one of them being place on the side of the ship. I will admit, it made me cry.
Within 10 minutes of landing, I was saying hi to my friends at the Thrift Shop, and by kismet was surrounded by at least a dozen very good friends who did not even know I was coming back. What a welcome home.
So yes, the sea, sun, wind, land, boats, animals, the people with all of the commonalities and diversity, all of “you are so easy to love.” Thank you for reopening your arms to welcome back a prodigal child so easily and for supporting an unusual art project that had a wonderful message for me.
Beth McElhiney
Edgartown