I write this month’s article from the road in the middle of nowhere. It’s currently 6am, and the day has already thrown me more challenges than I was prepared to handle. Though, as they say, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise. I often wonder if the people who make all these statements believe them to be true. I always try and keep a positive outlook in life, but some days life does tend to win.
Both the Kiddie Pool and Outdoor Pool are up and running, and we are working out the typical seasonal issues. By the time you read this article, Memorial Day will have passed. I am optimistic that we will have had a successful opening weekend.
During the month of June, we keep both the Indoor Pool and Jacuzzi open, as well as the Outdoor Pool and Kiddie Pool for your convenience. The hours will be posted in the Clubhouse once the season is underway.
The golf course season is certainly underway, and at the time of this article, two tournaments have already taken place. I am pleased with how the season is going so far and optimistic that it will only improve. I want to thank Mary and Frank for all of their efforts over the last couple of years. I have had the privilege of getting to know them, and they have been very easy to work with.
The Bocce Ball season will have started by the time you read this article, and I am hoping that we have another successful season. We did not add additional bluestone this year as we had plenty from the year prior. The courts have been raked and rolled, and if anyone has any issues with them, please let me know. We try and be considerate of everyone’s request and will do what we can to accommodate. However, we must look at what’s best for the majority, not the individual.
We no longer have a shuffleboard league and haven’t for some time. That being said, we still maintain the courts, and I believe they are looking pretty good. As with all of the amenities, if you see something that needs to be addressed, please send me an e-mail, and I will have the staff take care of it.
Tennis and Pickleball are underway, and they are always looking for more people to join them. The courts are open for everyone to use, and we are hoping that more people will start utilizing them. The Pickleball Courts receive a fair amount of use, but the Har-Tru upper Tennis Courts are almost always empty.
I know I previously spoke about the amenities throughout this article and last month; that was done intentionally to encourage all of you to come out this year and enjoy. Bretton Woods has approximately 3000 people who live in the community, and on a typical summer day, we have less than 100 people at the pool. The under-use is true for all of our amenities, and I am hoping that we will see a change in time.
One of my favorite things to do in life is to meet new people in different places. Regardless of whether it’s at the mall, supermarket, coffee shop, department store, etc. When you take the time to engage with someone and show an interest in their life, the entire demeanor of the individual changes.
I have met so many different people in my life, and I am always surprised by what I learn, and I am intrigued by their perspective on life. As I continue to grow in my own life, the one thing that I have found to be truer than anything is that we are directly shaped by our past experiences.
Whether those experiences are good or bad is something that only the individual knows. The reality is that whether the individual believes their experiences were bad or good is irrelevant to their current situation. We all get to decide what we do with those experiences and how we turn them into a net positive for others. Feeling sorry for oneself is both extremely unproductive and makes people not want to be around you.
I understand that many have gone through more pain and misfortune than most can fathom. The thing that I find the most interesting in life is that the more pain and misfortune that one experiences, the more pleasant they tend to be.
I am guessing that it is because they have gone through so much, they have learned to appreciate everyday life. I won’t say that this is true for everyone, but certainly the majority. Then you have the people in life who go through the most minor issues, and it’s the end of the world. These people always think that their life is so much harder than it actually is, or maybe they just want to believe they have an excuse to be miserable.
I know that I am not always pleasant and easy to deal with in my everyday life, as nobody is. I make a controlled effort to never take my anger or frustration out on those who are in my life. I know many people who, when they are having things go wrong, put their energy into attacking others or creating more problems for themselves. This is done as a convenient distraction to take the focus off of what is the real cause of their problems. I urge everyone to look inward when things are going wrong in your life, rather than outwardly attacking the innocent person who has the misfortune of passing through your orbit.
June brings us the following holidays and days of significance: Pentecost, Flag Day, Father’s Day, Juneteenth, and the First Day of Summer.
Craig Pessin- HOA Administrator
Our life is short, and we never know when it is going to end. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you have more time than you do. Never miss the opportunity to speak with a stranger or do something unexpected. Routines are good, but life doesn’t always follow a routine. Don’t be afraid to break the cycle and find something that you didn’t know you were searching for, or more importantly needed.