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In their 1974 hit single “Rock The Boat,” The Hues Corporation pointedly inquired “where did you get the notion to rock the boat?” They went on to implore listeners…don’t rock the boat baby…and for heaven’s sake don’t tip the boat over. I found myself humming the catchy tune aloud last week as I browsed the “Peep Diorama” entries at the Nantucket Atheneum. One of the winning entries was cleverly titled “In The Heart of the Peeps” – a cute little play on words with Nat Philbrick‘s best seller, “In The Heart of the Sea.” Those squishy little peeps were crammed into that boat with nary an inch to spare…oars at the ready…all for one and one for all.
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With the Annual Nantucket Town Meeting this past weekend, ripe with all of the drama, fanfare and political posturing that oftentimes surrounds it, I was reminded that all of us on Nantucket are very much like the peeps in that boat. We live here…together… on a tiny spit of sand in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Whatever “storms” may come (the figurative ones and the literal ones) we’re in this thing together.
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We may have varying ideas, opinions and creative solutions for how to solve the “storm” problems of the day…the nitrogen in the harbor, housing and care for our elders, our eroding coastline…but the common denominator is we all care deeply about these issues. Our love and concern for the greater good for Nantucket and its people is our unifier. There is no question that as we work out the solutions the boat ride can get rough…especially as people take their turn rocking the boat. The Town Moderator always sets the tone for the meeting with a single mandate at the end of the reading of the rules…”play nice.” In other words, you can rock the boat…just don’t tip it over and don’t hurt anyone in the process.
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On Nantucket there are any number of people who are entrusted with the task of keeping us in safe waters and headed in the right direction. We’re grateful to all our elected officials, public servants, town employees and others who work tirelessly on our behalf. We’re also incredibly fortunate to live among friends and neighbors who aren’t afraid to take a stand, rock the boat a little to spur each other on…while never forgetting we’re ultimately all on the same team.
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So, who’s in your boat? Who are the people who pick up the oar next to you and just start rowing…without needing accolades or attention? Who can you count on to constantly be checking the instruments and the compass? And who needs to sometimes be reminded to take a seat or “play nice” so the boat doesn’t rock so hard it ends up capsizing leaving a bunch of soggy “peeps” in its wake?
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The great thing about Nantucket is you don’t have to look far to find any number of trusted people willing to help row your boat. From caretakers to cleaners, builders to tradesmen, clergy to health care providers and certainly loyal friends, family and neighbors, we’re an island that specializes in caring for one another. At the end of the day, we really are just one large island family of peeps.
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In the heart of the sea.
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