What I love about living here is simple. For me, it falls into 3 categories:
"People", "Place", and "Politics".
I can’t imagine creating better friends than the ones I’ve made over the years
here—through work, volunteer activities, and neighborhoods where I’ve lived.
There’s just something special about so many of the people who have grown up
here or adopted Vermont as their
own.
In terms of place, Lake Champlain is the centerpiece for
me. Diving into the green sun-filtered water in the summertime is beyond
measure in terms of joy. Gazing across the lake as the sun sets over the Adirondacks
is my very favorite time of day. I cherish the different moods of the lake in every
season.
Regarding politics, as a liberal Unitarian, I never voted for anyone who
actually won before I moved here. Now it happens all the time! I appreciate
that many of the people who live here are politically active, the state is
small enough for voices to be heard, there’s a viable third party, and issues
that will affect the positive future of this state are being addressed.
It doesn’t mean that we don’t have challenges ahead, though. We’ll need to find
a balance between cows and jobs, farmland and houses. We’ll need to meet the
food, shelter, educational, and health needs of our citizens as the population
ages. We need to preserve farms. We need to create employment for the younger
generation without draining other resources, so that they can afford to stay
here too. And we’ll need to caretake the land and waterways that make Vermont
such a gem.
I’m hopeful, though. With a little awareness and hard work by all of us, we can
keep the best of the state and change the pieces that need a little bit of help. After
all, isn’t Vermont worth it?
Megan J. Humphrey
Burlington, VT