“What’s it like living on YOUR island?” Jason asked over dinner as we sampled Hawaiian appetizers he enjoys eating with family and friends when they gather for celebrations. A native of Kauai and a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture employee, Jason described the joys of a kickback culture and warm, tropical weather year round as we sat out on Lanai a couple of weeks ago. He also lamented the need for air travel to bring goods onto his island and move residents off when they want to go anywhere else in the world.

My description of our beautiful bridge to the north, two ferry options, and a shuttle bus service to and from SeaTac airport enticed him enough that we’re hoping he will visit Whidbey in the near future. It will please us to no end to be able to show him the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and our kind of island living.

While describing the joys of living on Whidbey, I was reminded all over again what a unique community we enjoy. I described to Jason the continual influx of newcomers as Navy families, in particular, join our island’s diverse community. And I thought about how much I look forward each year to annual events such as Holland Happening, scheduled this year for April 23 – 25. As I talked, images of meeting friends for coffee, eating crab and mussels with enormous delight each summer, watching Navy fly overs, walking our rugged beaches, and cutting grass at 10:00 at night during our long days of summer brought me enormous delight.

I was born in a community 1,236 miles away, but my life and loyalties now belong here. This is my home in all ways, filled with people I care about profoundly. I occasionally ask myself, Am I being as welcoming as I experienced all those years ago when we moved to Whidbey?

Being welcoming means considering the needs of those new to our community. New neighbors may be happy about being transferred be happy about being transferred here. They may not be. They may have no family or established friendships here. They may be outgoing and find the move invigorating. Or new faces, streets, churches, doctors, schools and schedules may be intimidating. Rainy and windy days that tend to isolate even long-term residents may add to the loneliness people often experience when they first move to the island.

Making a choice to offer a smile and a kind word to someone we have never met is manageable. It may lead to an unexpected and uplifting conversation. It may begin a friendship. It may open the door to new adventures.

Albert Schweitzer once wrote, “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

Being sensitive to the feelings and experiences of those around us is surely one of the great joys of living a faithful life. It will feed your own heart, give you a greater sense of belonging, and set up a network of relationships you will enjoy—and depend on—in the days ahead.