Tradition and a new beginning

Recently I walked to the new riverfront park for the first time since its opening in April. I had every intention of going to a quiet place to read. I placed my book on the bench — and never picked it up again during that visit.

I was mesmerized. As I gazed out onto the water, I was taken by the beauty of our river. I sat in front of the new statue and took in the details of the carving. What talent and feeling it must have taken to craft that beauty!

As I enjoyed the scenery and surroundings, a young man sat down next to me. His gaze was also fixed on the statue. He turned to me and introduced himself; and I learned that he was the master carver. I had a million questions running through my mind, but I began with “What inspired you?” He told me he had carved it when he was 15 and that he was now a senior at Fernandina Beach High School. I looked into his eyes and saw a young man with compassion for our town. Replacing the original pirate was not easy, as he was our history; but Jett did it. He was proud in a good way. His smile displayed his happiness at being part of the renewal of Fernandina Beach's history.

As people walked by, I stopped them and introduced him as the artist. Everyone was in awe of the artwork he had created. He told me that carving is his love and his passion. He wants to pursue an art career after he graduates, and his ultimate dream is to open a school to teach children how to carve.

I was moved by this young man's goal. I belong to one of the local Rotary groups, and we encourage vocational talent such as Jett's as part of our activities.

I sat there for a bit and thought about the many dreams of our youth and what it takes to make those dreams a reality. My encounters with the younger generation give me faith in our future. A young man with dreams of sharing his talents with children is just one example that keeps me hopeful that we are headed in the right direction.

Barb Gingher is a 25-year resident of Fernandina Beach. Dr. Gingher retired in 2017 from Baptist Medical Center Nassau, where she served as Nurse Executive. She is a member of the non-profit organization Compassionate Fernandina. The organization's vision is "a community in which we treat each other and Earth with kindness, dignity, and respect," and the mission is "to widen the circle of compassion through practical, intentional actions." The city of Fernandina Beach issued a proclamation in 2017 and endorsed the principles of Compassionate Fernandina, joining forces with the organization "to promote compassionate actions throughout the city and to make compassion a clear and dynamic force in our world."

If you have a story you'd like to share here in the Fernandina Observer - about a neighbor or friend or stranger or business that showed you kindness, or about kindness and compassion in general - please contact Peggie Weeks at pegweeks@gmail.com