A community club member last week wrote something on the social media platform Nextdoor so compelling that I want to share it here so that Glade Sun readers also can reflect on his message.
Steve Lokker suggested that we turn down the “noise” of issues we are embroiled in and take the time to hear “the music” of Fairfield Glade.
Lokker, I will point out, is a member of People Against Nondisclosure Agreements, known as PANDAs, that has been involved in some of the recent noise. He was writing not only to us but also to himself.
With that in mind and without further delay, I turn the floor over to Mr. Lokker:
“A few years ago, I was working as an attendant at Dartmoor Marina when two youth baseball teams and their coaches were enjoying the beach.
“I casually mentioned to one of the coaches that I lived here. I’ll never forget his reaction. His amazement was visible in his eyes and in his voice.
“‘There are people who live here?’”
“It was obvious what he really meant:
“‘There are people lucky enough to live here?’”
“After nine years, I need to be reminded of that myself.
“Because somewhere along the way, something extraordinary can become ordinary. We get used to the lakes, the golf courses, the hiking trails, the beauty, the friendships, and the countless other things that make Fairfield Glade special.
“And we shouldn’t.
“Yes, more than in recent memory, we’re surrounded by noise.
“Lawsuits. Questionable Board decisions. Wyndham leaving. Arguments on social media. And, increasingly, neighbors saying they’re fed up and thinking about leaving.
“Some of us believe it’s vital to the long-term viability of our community to raise critical issues. “And that does create noise.
“For most of us, this is the first time we’ve lived in a community that is truly and uniquely ours. “We worked for decades to get here. We dreamed about a place where we could finally slow down and enjoy life.
“We can sit at Mirror Lake, listen to music, visit with friends and enjoy the evening without worrying about the stresses of a long day at work – or what awaits us at the office tomorrow.
“That is something worth remembering.
“I’m guessing many residents simply tune out the noise. That’s their right. And, frankly, sometimes I envy them.
“Others, like me, hear it.
“Like the tuba section in a marching band passing by, we hear what’s going on around us. Sometimes it’s off-key. Out of tune. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard.
“And we want to do something about it. We believe it’s worth fighting for.
“But here’s the danger:
“We can become so focused on the noise that we forget the music.
“When neighbors say they’re ready to leave Fairfield Glade because of everything going on, I think that’s a tragedy. And I believe it’s avoidable.
“So perhaps we need to compartmentalize the noise. Turn down the volume. Remind ourselves why we came here in the first place.
“Look around.
“The lakes. The golf courses. The trails. The trees. The wildlife. The friendships. The community. The life we’ve worked so hard to earn.
“Fairfield Glade isn’t perfect. It never has been, and it never will be.
“But it is something remarkably special.
“And that’s precisely why we should care enough to make it better.
“Don’t let the noise make you forget the music.
“And don’t ever forget how lucky we are to live here.”
Amen, Mr. Lokker.
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Keith Robinson is a Glade Sun correspondent who reports on Fairfield Glade Community Club and other matters in the community.