On an early morning ritual, we walk briskly along the concrete sidewalk bordered by

dew-moistened grass. The air has a misty haze that blurs the streetlamps and casts

eerie shadows across the road. The sky is just beginning to turn from dark to light grey.

We walk with a healthy purpose, gulp air, and between breaths talk about friends, family,

life, and Pelican Preserve.

Near midday, the sky is a bright pure blue, lightly speckled by random white wispy

clouds. The sun has awakened the earth, nurtured it, and now brings therapeutic

warmth to sore joints. I join teammates playing softball, tennis, pickleball, or maybe

bocce. In the lull in the action, we find ample time to talk about family, life, and Pelican

Preserve.

By late afternoon I bounce and float on yellow Styrofoam tubes while gentle waves cool

and refresh my entire body. Peering from behind blue-tinted sunglasses, with bold

white frames, I watch kids splash and dive for submerged brightly colored objects. The

laughs and high-pitched screeches signal children at play. Neighbors and friends

gather in conversation circles in the pool. We soak in water and sun, as well as news,

opinions, and gossip about Pelican Preserve.

In each of these settings, discussions about our community have a recurring theme.

We are lucky to enjoy such a wonderful life. George Baily and Mary, the two main

characters from Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” would enjoy life in Pelican

Preserve. George was a lucky man but temporarily didn’t realize it. We, like George,

come to understand that life is pretty good.

Perhaps we feel good because we appreciate our surroundings. We enter Pelican

Preserve through a secure passage framed in light-colored stone and stucco that is

accented with an abundance of what I believe are red white and pink or purple

SunPatiens. The tone of the community is immediately set. The community is well-

kept but not ostentatious. Nice homes and facilities set an important foundation for our

community. That’s the physical aspect. It’s nice, but that is not what makes life

wonderful.

More important to me and many others is that we are surrounded by happy people. We

are, for the most part, in a good mood, and why not? We enjoy the benefits due us from

a productive working past. We wave and smile at people as they go by.

I would say most of us have some physical issues. We are not young, so the body that

has given us years of service now suffers from minor to major maladies. Yet, so many

maintain a positive attitude and enjoy the things we can still do. Our play ranges from

active sports to calmer activities of crafts or card games. We thrive in a lifestyle

analogous to our grandchildren. We enjoy an abundance of playtime, like a perpetual

school recess. Surely the time we spend at play is a positive additive to our disposition.

The evening air is warm and calm. I feel comfortable in my casual attire, sitting

blissfully sipping a beverage. No worries. Around me stories are exchanged, perhaps

embellished. We laugh at those shared comical moments remembering when we

committed a similar folly. My mind slowly wanders through old memories and things

lost. A question comes to me, what do I like most about Pelican Preserve? It is the

people who understand “It’s a Wonderful Life.”