From the other shore: Ode to Mercer Island
Published 11:30 am Tuesday, October 28, 2025
By Naima Jamilasud
Special to the Reporter
My stay on Mercer Island was much more than a simple visit: it was an enchanting pause, an inner journey to a place where nature seems to speak the language of peace.
In this autumn season, the island is adorned with a thousand golden, copper and purple shades. The trees, like inspired painters, cover the paths with warm and luminous colors. Every falling leaf seems to whisper a prayer to beauty. The deep greenery, the reflections on the lake and the soft evening light create a living painting, full of calm and gratitude.
Mercer Island is a temple of serenity, a space where nature and the human spirit harmonize with delicacy. The tree-lined paths invite long, meditative walks, while the spectacular views of Seattle, Mount Rainier and Lake Washington offer moments of wonder at every turn. The island also stands out for its ecological and environmental commitment: preserved green spaces, protection of local wildlife and sustainable initiatives that allow the community to live in harmony with its surroundings.
The very popular farmers’ market reflects this philosophy: local products, respectful agriculture and warm encounters between residents and visitors. It’s clear that this is not just a place of beauty, but a living, conscious ecosystem, where humans and nature coexist in mutual respect.
With my friends, the Fishman family, I found a warm home, a place of friendship and sharing. Their hospitality deeply touched me and gave this stay the dimension of a return to the essentials: simplicity, kindness and wonder at the beauty of the world.
As an Amazigh from the southeast of Morocco, from the oases of the North African desert, I discovered on Mercer Island an island like an oasis, a true Garden of Eden. This encounter with its generous nature and kind inhabitants reminded me that humanity and beauty can be found everywhere, between the greenery of lakes and the gold of desert oases.
I leave Mercer Island with a peaceful heart, grateful to nature and the people who inhabit it. This place is a lesson in gentleness, an open-air meditation.
Thank you, my dear friends, the artist and photographer David Fishman and his wife Donna Fishman, for your hospitality and generosity.
