Martha's Vineyard, A Diverse Island

Martha's Vineyard Island is a microcosm and melting pot of humanity that ebbs and flows like the flick of a lamp switch from season to season. Remember my article on "Stickers"? Those who live here wrestle to identify themselves from those who don't, and those who want to be from here. There are stickers that read "NATIVE", "I LIVE HERE....", "WASH-ASHORE", and now there are Brazilian stickers in green, yellow and blue. There are stickers for every town and stickers in the shape of a nautical semaphore flag that attests to your elitist membership to the yacht club, There are town dump stickers and beach stickers that identify you in a roundabout way and private community stickers that are another symbol of elitism.

Anyone who has lived and raised children here knows this Island can be a wonderful place to grow up with opportunities beyond imagination and a school system second to none, or it can be hell. Hmmm, sounds just like life. However, wanting to stay on the bright side of Island life, I want to share with you an essay I read in the Summer 2006 issue of Vineyard Style magazine. There is a footnote to the essay that you must not miss, so I'm repeating it here.

"Duncan Pickard is the winner of the Vineyard Style-John D. Morelli essay contest. In addition to publishing his essay, Vineyard Style awarded Duncan a $500 prize. So taken were we with his talent and drive, we hired him for the summer. Duncan will attend Tufts University."

Coming of Age and Surrounded by Sea