A recent conversation with an islander got around to her displeasure at those who “are against big houses.” She comes from a large family and made it clear that nobody was going to tell her that she could not have big family gatherings.

The conversation brought to mind the words of an Episcopal minister many years ago: “Either you worship God or you worship yourself.” Block Island is not God, but it is sacred ground: it is God’s work at its finest. We each need to decide for ourselves, which takes priority, me or Block Island. If the answer is “me”, as it seems to be on the mainland and some of our neighboring islands, then stewardship goeth out the window.

If the answer is “Block Island comes first and I come second”, that does not mean 900 square foot Berger houses in perpetuity. It certainly does mean, however, thinking hard about the five or six days out of 365 that there will be extra guests on the island. Having them stay at a local bed & breakfast is triple stewardship. It eliminates the need for superfluous house bulk, it helps the island economy year in and year out, and it gives the guests a fuller exposure to Block Island. If that is impractical (really?), then the location of virtually-always-empty extra bedrooms becomes paramount. Piling them mindlessly on top does not answer the needs of good stewardship. Tucking them out back, or even in a separate structure, can be a wonderful answer.

A house does not have to be tiny to be island-appropriate. If it is getting above 3000 square feet, however, it needs to be done with great care.

Unless, of course, the only thing that is important is “me.”

Tomorrow: “It’s the Numbers That Matter”