The wind whips up and rain falls sideways on our last night in Harvard. Twenty-nine years ago a vastly younger, enterprising couple moved into their brand-new solar house in a brand-new beautiful town. Babies, piglets, stop the airport! chickens and eggs, stop the coal plant! Devens reuse, the Harvard Ecological Society, proms and graduations and about 27 town meetings later, this couple, in the infancy of their old age, wants to bid farewell to the town.
Harvard, you should be proud. It’s the volunteerism that has inspired us perhaps more than anything, although in the early years Harvard eccentrics still sprinkled the landscape with their delightful antics. Well—the generous beauty of the town maybe caps it all, preserved by a dozen generations so far, their wordless example calling us to the job. And the UU Church connecting us to the noble traditions of Yankee liberalism. We would like to add, don’t be smug, Harvard, keep examining yourself and figuring out how you can be better.
So, old town, our kids’ home town, thank you for your generous hospitality to us and Jamaica and Jessamine all these years. Too many people we never said goodbye to (and you know who you are) deserve a fond farewell, and joy be to you all.
Josie Carothers and Mark Kelley
Formerly of Depot Road, now of Randolph Center, Vermont
