Taking Time to Appreciate Those Around Us

How can you not have a great attitude and appreciate the wonderful place we all call home here on the island. We’ve had our little bit of chilly weather and it appears we are headed into the more delightful and pleasing temperatures which bring a smile to our faces each day.

I was thinking about what to speak about in my column all day on Monday, which is when I usually write it after the weekend and sitting out on the lanai. Even though Monday was a holiday for some, it became more crowded than usual as I had to run Janet to the airport as she would be flying up to Chicago but would be coming back on Saturday so we could attend a special event on the Princess Saturday evening.

So this morning I was sitting here after my regular run down to the coffee shop for a quick infusion of my friend Sal’s delicious coffee and a little conversation with some friends before sitting here in front of this keyboard. I guess the coffee shop reminds me of my dad’s barber shop and how so many wonderful people would pop in there to get their dose of the daily news and some salacious gossip on occasion.

On the way home I thought about how lucky we all are to be surrounded with so many great folks from such diverse backgrounds around our nation and even internationally. I reflected on the interactions I have with many of you.

On a recent Friday evening I had the privilege to attend my Rotary Club’s send off party for Pastor Tom Boeck and his wife Sharon as they end their five year stay on the island as the Pastor at the Marco Lutheran Church. They’ll be moving to Bentonville, Arkansas to assume a position in a Lutheran Church there. I was so proud to be his sponsor in Rotary and equally proud to call him a friend.

Earlier last week Janet and I had the opportunity to join wonderful friends from the Metro-Boston and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area for dinner and music at Z’s Music Kitchen. It was a fun evening with great conversation and many laughs, and this was only one of these types of gatherings we get to go to.

On Saturday evening of last week Janet and I had the opportunity to attend the wonderful ribbon cutting of the reopening of the Island Country Club. The completion of the renovations and expansion of the club house and newly constructed fitness center was a celebration which had been a longtime coming and one which brought a great sigh of relief from all those who had worked so hard through two years of obstacles which began with Covid and was topped off by Hurricane Ian last year.

A great deal of credit is owed to the dedication, perseverance and patience of its membership and board as well as the many long volunteer hours which were put in by Club Member Bill Albanese, a Board Member and now President of Island Club. He would work tirelessly over those long months to bring it to a successful conclusion. Once again, I’m proud to know him and call him a friend.

Something we both look forward to is the annual Kiwanis Car Show and for those that attended they were not disappointed. With over 130 cars on display, one of the largest challenges lay in keeping guys like me from drooling over them. There is something about the gleam of chrome and the mirror-like finishes on the muscle cars of the past. Its so much fun to stop and talk to many of the owners who we knew and compliment them on their beautiful entries. There were no losers, just winners there that afternoon. The Kiwanis Club of Marco Island did a fabulous job of putting on one of the most anticipated events of the year and deserve a big thank you for their hard work.

Of course on Monday I had to shuttle Jan up to RSW for her quick trip up to Chicago, which at this moment shows a temperature of 31 degrees on Tuesday morning, while here on Marco we show a balmy 75 degrees. After seeing her off and walking through the terminal I must have run into at least three to five families wearing Marco Island garb headed to the ticket counter to get boarding passes.

One of those families had the cutest little girl who had big alligator tears running down her face as her mother stopped next to me to ask whether there was a coffee shop nearby. I gave her directions, and I knelt down to her daughter and inquired why she was crying. She told me that she didn’t want to go home, but wanted to continue to stay here at the hotel and swim in the pool. I smiled and told her if she did good in school she could grow up and come back and swim all the time in a pool. I wish I could tell you that worked. It didn’t, but I tried!

This little girl had it right. She recognized what a great place we live in. I too would have alligator tears running down my face, but not just for missing the fun of swimming year round in a warm pool. I do love the climate 12 months out of the year, beautiful landscaping, the beautiful beach and the opportunity to be out on the water, but most of all, I love the people here both the young and those of us not so young anymore, like me.

Whether it be those friends we get to socialize with on a regular basis or that larger circle of great friends I’ve made in the 36 years I’ve owned here and belonged to the numerous organizations as well as the volunteering I’ve done, I’ve been blessed. I’ve also met many of you through the ten years I’ve written for the two publications I’ve had the privilege to put pen to paper for. It's been a pleasure and I can only hope you’ll stop me and say hello as we pass by while we’re out there on the island.