Brendalee Baughman
This very special town of Marblehead was not on my radar until I was in the middle of a midlife crisis, searching for a new place to call home. But wait — I had been here once before during another transformative time in my life, when I went searching for a minister to baptize me in the ocean. I am not religious in the traditional sense and never belonged to a corporate church, but I found myself — and my religion — right here in Marblehead.
After many years of searching, I’ve learned that perhaps the point is not just to arrive home but to let all that is not home teach us something about ourselves and our place in the world. Sometimes it takes a big calamity in our lives to point us in a new direction. For me, it was a lung collapse and a tragic miscarriage. Frank Sinatra sang about doing it his way. Well, there isn’t a right or wrong way — but there is a way that takes into consideration not just ourselves, but others. We can honor and respect, even our neighbors, and I believe this is going to matter more than we can imagine as the days unfold.
I once heard a story about a man who worshipped his garden and all things landscaping. He was out there manicuring, clipping and making it perfect, come rain or shine. When he died and went to the other side, he thought his dreams had all come true — for he was standing in the midst of the most beautiful green grass, freshly cut and manicured just the way he liked it. But as he looked around, not another living soul was anywhere to be seen.
The town of Marblehead doesn’t have a money matter; it is plentiful and blessed. The median household income is $165,859, according to statistics. But those who do not make that kind of money are no less deserving of calling Marblehead “home.”
Noncompliance with federal standards tells me why senior and low-income family housing is in the state it is in. The funds recently lost were allocated to more than just housing and, thankfully, do not affect the redevelopment of Broughton Road. But projects that impact the overall quality of town living have been compromised. The town I call “home” could use some surgery — perhaps the plastic kind, but also the kind that changes hearts.
We cannot let fear keep us from embracing the kind of change that transforms us for the better, inside and out. Besides, the private sector is merging with the public, and together they will be better. Seniors, who account for roughly 23% of the population, should have immediate access to affordable, clean and decent housing if needed.
My friend, who lived in Marblehead for more than 40 years and served the community with her hands (literally) and heart, had to leave town. When she left, she took a part of my “home” with her. She had served this community faithfully, and yet there was no place for her to call “home” when her body could no longer support the profession she had served us with. She was the only woman who had begun to heal the mother part of my broken heart.
Marblehead is my “home,” for better or worse — but most likely not “till death do us part.” Much like the folks at the WinnCompanies, I have a vision for something more — not just for the privileged, but for those with less fortune. Only a few moms showed up for the recent meeting with the people planning to reinvent low-income housing for families and seniors. These meetings will take place about every six months for the next few years.
Let’s make Marblehead a standout community — not because of median or per capita income, but because money is not the matter: people matter.
All religious ritual aside, there is a letting go of former ways that no longer serve us or anyone else. If we let our hearts soften, our vision will expand — and without a vision, we will perish. Marblehead can stand out as a genuine community, and when it does, a real community dance will take place — where no one is left out of the invitation.
Brendalee Baughman is a Marblehead resident.