Stroke of Gratitude…
It wasn’t too long ago, while having breakfast at Lulu B’s (remember that place?), I saw something that I have since frequently thought about. 🤔I was seated facing the door in the north room of the restaurant when an older gentleman approached the door to come into Lulu B’s. From his physical demeanor, it appeared that he may have been a stroke survivor. Just as he arrived at the door, a young couple who had just dismounted their bikes, arrived at the door simultaneously. It was the impaired gentleman who held the door as the young couple rushed into Lulu B’s. Now this may not seem like a big deal to some or even most of you, and in the sands of time, it probably isn’t. But to me, there is a lesson here. The Man with the twisted arm and limp focused on what he could do. He never hesitated to open the door for the bike riders because it was normal for him and he could. The takeaway? He focused on what he could do and not on what he couldn’t do.
Unlike the man in the story, we Pelican Bay folks spend much time worrying about traffic, deteriorating sidewalks, no Pickle Ball courts, One Naples, emergency response times, beach amenities, restaurant experiences, the tram schedules, too few tennis courts in season and many other things that we can not or only partially control. Yes, these things are very important to our quality of life. But … let’s take a step back for a minute and focus on what we have… not on what we don’t or wish we had.
Pelican Bay is an absolutely, wonderful place to live. It is safe, well maintained and manicured, and management is sensitive to residents’ needs. Our leadership over the 40 years of Pelican Bay life has been visionary. And, we enjoy daily their past actions.
We can live our lives at a high level and never leave Pelican Bay for any reason other than health care. We have wonderful stores and restaurants on both ends of Pelican Bay to meet our every need. There are banks, Trust Companies and Brokerage Firms. Nobody else has Artis Naples. We have churches and schools in Pelican Bay or nearby. If we cannot accommodate our guests, some of the finest hotels in the world are right here. Emergency Services, EMS, Police and a Fire Department are on our Pelican Bay premises, as is the County Library. And we have a wonderful beach which is renourished periodically. Other amenities such as our tennis courts, parks, the Community Center and Fitness Center are here for everyone.
I have said this in a public forum many times. The best people in the whole world live in Pelican Bay. And it is people, relationships and family that, in the end, truly define our happiness!As we continue to work on issues that we hope will improve our Pelican Bay life experience, please remember, that like the man in the story, we, too, need to focus on what we do have and how truly blessed we are.
Your Pelican Bay Property Owners Association exists, solely, to protect the quality of life here in Pelican Bay and remains committed to seeking ways to make it better yet. So, enjoy the fruits of your labor this upcoming Labor Day weekend and know the PBPOA is here for you.
Please stay safe. The Coronavirus will pass. May God Bless Pelican Bay and the United States of America.
Mark E. English, President
for your friends at the Pelican Bay Property Owners Association
Please remember to have your voice heard. If you are not already a 2020 member of the PBPOA, please consider joining our efforts today. At $50 per year, it’s a bargain! |
