Giving Thanks

We are thankful for the ocean, so near to us here on the South Fork, and the serenity of nature surrounding us. Every year, people make the voyage to the East End, often from more urban dwellings, precisely because even as the human population encroaches more and more, there is a stubborn stillness surrounding us that is rejuvenating. The towns’ willingness to preserve open space and to prioritize environmental conservation shines through, even as the crush of development soldiers on. We give thanks that, to quote Van Morrison, this is a place where you can still “become enraptured by the sights and sounds in intrigue of nature’s beauty.”

We give thanks for the many creative people who make the South Fork their home. Artists, writers, musicians. Wouldn’t it be great to paint or play the piano all day? Those talented (or lucky) enough to do these things are generous in sharing their creations, baring their souls, and, when it’s really good, plugging into the main circuit of the universe. Satori!

We are thankful for our readers, and especially our subscribers, and the advertisers who together support our brand of community journalism. With intense division and mistrust fed by the spread of misinformation in today’s world of social media, we like to believe that focusing on our local communities and what we can all do to effect positive change in our towns and villages is the best foot forward during these trying times at the national and international level. We couldn’t do any of our work without the financial support of subscribers and advertisers.

We are thankful for the nonprofit community that gathered with us for an Express Sessions event on November 7 at the Southampton Arts Center. What a remarkable sight it was: The SAC auditorium filled with the many women and handful of men who keep these organizations running, and providing essential services to the community. Whether they are feeding people, advocating for their rights, entertaining and enriching them through the arts, finding them housing and child care — they are woven into the fabric of South Fork life, and they hold it together. It’s often a thankless job, which shouldn’t be the case. This holiday season, please show your appreciation the best way you can: by volunteering or donating to the nonprofit of your choice.

We are grateful that municipalities across the East End are working to help solve the seemingly insolvable affordable housing crisis. East Hampton Town’s “all hands on housing” effort has been making real strides toward zoning changes that could help boost the supply of accessory dwelling units. Southampton Town has been steadily making progress and is poised to begin using new revenues from the Community Housing Fund, which is nearing its first anniversary, and about to begin providing resources to help pay for creative solutions. It will take time to make a dent in the crisis, but both towns are taking the initiative.

We are grateful for a thriving East End arts community that stretches programming well into the offseason, with a plethora of options for theater and music lovers. Just this holiday season, there is Bay Street Theater’s current Literature Live! production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” for both high school students and adult audiences; Center Stage at Southampton Arts Center, which this weekend offers staged readings from Truman Capote holiday stories; a radio play version of “A Christmas Carol” by the Hampton Theatre Company and Boots on the Ground, Bridgehampton Chamber Music’s upcoming baroque concert on December 7, the Hamptons Festival of Music Songs of the Season concert on December 19 in East Hampton, and, of course, Hamptons Doc Fest’s upcoming documentary film festival in Sag Harbor from December 5 to 11.

We are thankful for our East End food pantries and this year have launched our “Holiday Express” fund drive, with 100 percent of the donations going directly to six East End food pantries. Visit 27east.com/the-holiday-express to contribute anytime now through Christmas.

We are thankful for the army of volunteer firefighters risking their lives to keep us safe. These men and women drop everything on a moment’s notice, day or night, to rush to accidents, house fires, medical emergencies and, in recent weeks, wildfires threatening entire communities. They ask for nothing in return except for the personal satisfaction of knowing they are making a difference in their communities. They are truly heroes.

We are thankful for moms — all of them. These multitasking warriors not only drive the soccer carpool but make sure they have extra snacks, water bottles and sweatshirts in the car for whatever kid (or parent) forgot that day. Here’s hoping this holidays season they can share a laugh and some memes with each other when the stress of balancing work and family piles up.

We’re thankful for teachers, who have been doing their best to take care of our kids and educate them, especially in the wake of the COVID crisis and with so many kids dealing with mental health issues. It’s not an easy job, it’s often thankless, and they aren’t appreciated nearly enough.

We are thankful for public libraries. Because no matter what happens in our political climate, they remain a safe, accessible place for everyone, regardless of their background, where people can access services they need, information they need, all without an agenda. And, of course, we are thankful for the bread and butter of libraries: books. They provide an escape, in the kind of soul-affirming, life-affirming way that the internet could never. The analog feel and smell of printed paper is something even a Kindle can’t achieve.

We are thankful for the Quogue Wildlife Refuge and the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center and our National Wildlife Refuges: Elizabeth A. Morton, Amagansett and Conscience Point. Our encroachment on wildlife on the South Fork has destroyed irreplaceable habitat and leads to often tragic run-ins with animals that we have already taken so much from. Setting aside little corners of the East End for wildlife to rehabilitate and flourish is the least we can do as a society, and there are many volunteers and donors to thank for making that happen.

We are thankful for the region’s outstanding medical workers, who are there for our worst moments and often bring us back to good health without our ever really being able to thank them. The region’s health is in their hands, and they’re strong hands.

We are thankful for both the Southampton History Museum and the shellfish hatchery at Conscience Point — and hope they can work out an amicable settlement to keep such a worthwhile effort, which pays tribute to our maritime roots, intact. One letter writer put it best this week when she said, “More balanced and less drastic measures of beautification should be pursued to honor and protect this vital intersection of history and sustainability.”

We are thankful to fellow journalists, courageously speaking truth to power all over the world. No one is getting rich doing this job, and it’s harder than ever, but as vital as ever. It is worth letting Charles Dickens have the last word here, describing the two children hiding in the robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present: “They are Man’s and they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance and this girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.”