The arrival of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan in Martha’s Vineyard gives us a great opportunity to reflect on whaling’s history as well as assess some of the messages that can be applied to modern times.

Curtis Jones died June 22 at the age of 97. The Gazette published a profile of him in November 2005; it appears again here.

For me, the ship came to life when she made what I will always remember as The Turn. We were at the far end of Vineyard Sound early Tuesday afternoon, sailing to the east.

On May 17 the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School named the tennis courts in my name. It was a huge honor that I will always treasure.

Saturday my father will walk me down the aisle. We will slow dance to Billy Joel, and as guests eat chocolate glazed donuts, I will witness the wonder through his eyes — brown like mine.

In April, six of us from Island Grown Schools were able to travel to Austin, Texas, for the seventh National Farm to Cafeteria conference. We joined 1,100 other farm to school advocates from across the country to share stories, triumphs and challenges in bringing school gardens, healthy food and farm-based learning to children.