Thank You Notes

I believe Robert Fulghum, the author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, is a luminary because he focused our attention on Albert Einstein’s guiding principle that imagination is more important than knowledge. Fulghum wrote, “I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.” In my heart of hearts, I am also convinced that lessons 13 and 16 on Mr. Fulghum’s list of things learned in kindergarten are the most vital: “When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.” “And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned – the biggest word of all – Look.”

Whenever I am in Bath, I like to walk along Front Street and stroll through Waterfront Park. Surrounded by beauty, I strongly feel the need to LOOK because I fear in a blink I may miss a moment of this heavenly place. Of course, it wouldn’t feel like heaven if I were by myself. I love to see the bubbles of people at work and at play in downtown Bath. This cool little city is a community of vibrant people who know how to stick together. It’s easy to strike up a conversation here because the shoppers and shopkeepers, the artists, tradesmen and chefs, the tour guides, teachers and students are happy and ready to share their talent and their stories. Bath is always humming, and everyday life along the Kennebec makes me want to whistle, but I don’t know how to whistle, so I am making a joyful sound on this keyboard, and I hope all the playful members of Bath Time Society hear my tune and tap their feet right along with me. I suspect that most of the Bath residents I have met were superstars in kindergarten. They are definitely creative and fun loving people, and this blog is my way of thanking them for making such a cool little city possible!

Needless to say, I didn’t learn all of my life lessons in kindergarten. I did in fact learn a lot from my Brownie troop, and that is probably because my mother was the leader. Without a doubt, my mother’s common sense influenced me more than Einstein and Fulghum’s combined genius. I should also add that my mom was the best whistler I have ever known. Her favorite song was You Are My Sunshine. Okay, I have strayed, but the Brownie lesson is important: “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” Following the Girl Scout rule, I invited my “old” friends to visit me in Bath, and they came! I have always been grateful for their company, but never more than this past summer. Joni, my friend of over 30 years, came up to Bath from Westford, MA to spend a few days! We were girls again ---giggles and flip-flops---at Popham Beach!  And Kathy, my BFF from the College of the Holy Cross, joined me for the Maine Maritime Museum’s architectural heritage tour. Once aboard the trolley, we met Judy Mansfield, our volunteer docent (and a great supporter of Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc.). For one magical hour, Judy, a retired teacher and an exceptional storyteller, took us back in time to the 19^th century, and we all listened like school children to the the family sagas of the original shipbuilders who first made this little city cool! What a hoot! Later, Kathy and I dined at Grey Haven’s Blue Restaurant in nearby Georgetown.

 But best of all, that night Kathy played the role of  “dog whisperer” and managed to quiet our family dog, Penny, and my daughter’s puppy, Moo. It’s not surprising these two canine pals fell asleep on the couch as they listened to The Art of Racing in the Rain because Kathy is a kindergarten teacher!

Bath is clearly teacher friendly! Perhaps that’s why I feel so at home here. Several of my neighbors are teachers, and amazingly a few of them are fluent in Spanish, so on occasion we enjoy chatting about the artisans of Oaxaca as we care for our gardens. I am grateful for all the conversations I’ve enjoyed with Peter and Susan, and Shelley, too. Life in Bath Time is simply educational! Heidi, my first friend in Bath, recommended a morning eco tour aboard the Horizon III to celebrate my birthday and entertain my family. Since Heidi is an accomplished college professor, I decided to take her advice. On a glorious mid-summer morning, seven family members and I boarded Captain Brooks’ 35-foot pontoon boat, and together we discovered that the best view of Bath is from the water. We also learned a lot about the life of the Kennebec River. I spied a harbor seal at play, and for the first time in my life I caught a glimpse of a bald eagle. Doubling Point Lighthouse, built over the marshes of Arrowsic Island in 1898, was another spectacular sight, and I must admit that its light was more romantic from the water than from the shore. For a moment, we all felt the fair and stormy winds of history. I don’t think I will ever tire of touring around Bath, its nearby islands and peninsulas in a boat!

In the City of Ships, river safaris and starry nights are par for the course, but Friday nights are especially entertaining! For the last few seasons, I have been experiencing ArtWalks in downtown Bath, and my appreciation for art has been forever enhanced. On one frolicking Friday night, my friend Jill accompanied me to the studio of Judson Pottery, which sits like a bird’s nest atop several flights of stairs in one of Front Street’s taller buildings. Jill and I kept following the signs upward until at last we opened a door and fell into Carolyn Judson’s unique view of our planet. As I surveyed the open space around me, I was reminded of an old Donny and Marie song: “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll, but I felt a need to “Judsonize” the title: “A Little Bit Mid-Coast, a Little Bit Savanna.” Clearly, Carolyn Judson has been to Africa, and she knows how to sculpt magnificent, large animals, like elephants! I think Jill and I both thought we were entering a different dimension, and it was enormously refreshing. Carolyn greeted us personally and engaged us in deep conversation. Within minutes, I learned that she had once lived in Brooklyn, New York, my birthplace, and in addition to painting and sculpting, she loves to teach! 

Shortly after that discovery, I met Carolyn's talented student, Nan Moran. As fate and Bath would have it, Nan is the sister of Mary King, a previous owner of our home on Washington Street! This is not just a coincidence; rather, it is proof that people in Bath are connected and know how to hold hands when it counts the most! I believe a close, loving community is a powerful blessing, and since I felt blessed that evening at the pottery studio, I bought the most cheerful daffodils I have ever seen in clay, and they were sculpted by Nan Moran. These sunny flowers now hang in the entrance hall of our Maine house, and they always make me smile when I come down the stairs!

Truth be told, the people of Bath know how to relax on Friday nights. Whether they are kicking back on the Kennebec, or forming a circle on Carriage House Lane for chili, cheese and wine, they are enjoying each other’s company. Joe and I are missing this Friday night’s celebration, but we will be there in a few short weeks, and we are looking forward to shaking hands with our neighbors! Last summer, Shelley, the kindest, fairest neighbor of them all, suggested I visit the Healing Garden at Mid Coast Hospital because she felt it was one of the prettiest gardens in Maine, and she thought I would appreciate the flowers there. Well, I found that garden, and I learned a valuable lesson: a hospital surrounded by evergreen trees and nurturing a garden at its heart can indeed offer us peace. Anticipating November and a time of thanksgiving, I hope we will always be able to see in our mind’s eye the wildflowers of summer, and the loving people who brought them to us. 

Thank you!