Home Isn't a Place It's a Feeling

The fresh sea breeze brings me to life as I step off the boat and onto the dock, bustling with people greeting each other and trucks ready to take your bags if the walk to your house is to long. As I take in the picturesque landscape, my excitement rises to record highs. I have been coming to Monhegan Island my entire life and summer doesn't feel complete without that blissful week in a half. I rush off the boat and into the arms of lifetime friends. Happy and full of anticipation for the week to come we catch up and it feels like no time has passed since I last saw them. These people only know the "island Lillian," free of stress, ready to have a good time.

It is hard to get caught up with materialistic things on the island, cell phone service is spotty at best and internet is hard to come by, let alone electricity (which our house doesn't even have). In my opinion this is one of the things that makes Monhegan so incredibly special, you are forced to interact with people face to face rather then through electronic devices.

Usually I spend the day by myself or with my family and then meet up with my friends later at night. I cherish those days that I have just to myself. Sometimes I go for a hike, sometimes I hike, and other times I just sit and watch the ocean, taking it all in.

Some of my happiest and craziest moments have happened here. One time I had just gotten off the boat and met up with my friends. I had changed into my bathing suit back at the wharf, so I would be prepared to jump off the dock at a moments notice. All of my friends were gathered around a rusty old bike and one of them said "wanna jump it" before I even realized what i was doing I was agreeing to be the first to jump. As I made my way up the steep hill I immediately began regretting agreeing so hastily. My terror grew even more when I realized the bikes brakes were broken. Scared as hell at the top of that hill I finally let myself go. Shooting down the hill I felt like I was flying, but that didn't even compare to the feeling I had once the bike left the ground and I was falling rapidly towards the blue water. I had to jump off the bike mid-air to avoid hurting myself and landed gracefully (lies) in the water with the bike falling to my right. When I surfaced I couldn't even believe I'd just done that. Now my memory is hazy when it comes to that day, but luckily someone was smart enough to capture the whole thing on video!

Going somewhere for only about a week every year makes you treasure that place even more. You meet people you would never otherwise interact with and become their friend. Monhegan is where I feel most at home and most myself.