I have to say, the feedback from last month’s article was not very positive. I can’t say that I have anyone to blame but myself for that one. I write to all of you from an honest and authentic place, always. Sometimes, I am not in a great mindset when I sit down and start typing. Today is not that day and the holiday season is upon us. I am going to attempt to scatter rainbows and lollipops all over this article for all of you. However, keep in mind that as much as we may all want that every day, it’s not real life.
The last two weeks have been eventful and filled with helping people. I don’t recall how many people exactly, but it’s been time-consuming and overwhelming. Several times I have found myself wondering why I am doing all of this, but then I see the smile or the relief on their faces when things start to come together and I immediately know why.
I am a firm believer that when you do things for others, it should be genuine and out of the goodness of your heart, which means you shouldn’t boast about it or seek validation. I only share this with you because the more I do for others, the more challenging my life seems to become. This is true for everyone, and it is the reason why most people stop helping others. We justify our walking away from those in need because we don’t have the time or the energy. The reality is that when you find time and push through the challenges, that’s when you grow and more opportunities come your way.
Don’t make excuses, make opportunities
I want to thank the staff, vendors, contractors, and of course all of you for a great year. This will be the last article for 2024, and I have to say that it was a successful year. As the years go on and the projects change and evolve, it’s hard to remember all of the specifics. I can’t say what the best year was in my tenure, but I can say that we made a conscious effort to be better every year. I know without question that we accomplished our goal this year and will certainly do everything in our power to be better next year as well.
I send a sincere thank you to the HOA Board of Directors, Mooney Pond Area Utilities Board, and the nine Condo Boards. I have the privilege to work with all of them daily, and I am truly grateful for their support. Bretton Woods is a very diverse community and has many moving parts. We all have to work together to keep this community running smoothly and that requires hard work and understanding by all parties. I am proud of the work that we all do and I look forward to working with all of them for many years to come.
Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring or what new opportunities lay ahead for us. I do hope for those of you who are struggling this time of the year, as many do, remember to focus on the good rather than the bad. I know many people put energy into things that distract them from their reality. However, are you putting your energy into the right things? Spending your time complaining and correcting others doesn’t help you, but rather, it poisons you. Rather than trying to escape from your life, try and create a life that you don’t need to escape from.
I share a lot with all of you about my views and the things I struggle with as an individual. However, I am very cognizant of not giving specific details about myself or those close to me. The reason for that is over the years, many people have tried to use those close to me to get the reaction they want from me.
I tend not to get hurt or offended in life, as I believe we are solely responsible for what we allow to penetrate our souls. Now with that being said, I do get angry and annoyed when things are done with the intention to hurt others or make a simple fix into a complicated mess. However, I have learned not to take it personally, as I know it’s not about me.
I do everything in my power to minimize contact with these individuals and make sure those around me do the same. I used to spend so much time trying to understand and analyze these people, and now I just avoid them when possible. Some people don’t want help or advice, they just want someone to listen to them and prove why they’re right. As I approach the next chapter and decade of my life, I will only become more protective of my time. Remember, time is something that you will never get back, so don’t waste it on those who don’t value it for themselves.
Spend this holiday season with those you love and care about. Tell them what they mean to you and how much you value them. I always spend a portion of the holidays with family and friends and the remainder with nature. Nothing helps one appreciate what they have more than being reminded that it was all here before you and will be here after you.
So, let’s all be good neighbors to one another and help each other out. I know that our community has its issues and many different groups exist; some clearly don’t like the others for reasons they probably don’t even know. Let’s try to understand that we are all different and want different things in life.
I seldom spend time with those who I don’t believe add value to my life. That being said, I don’t wish anything but happiness and fulfillment for the ones I choose not to spend time with. I may not agree with them or want to be exposed to their beliefs and values, but want them to be better as I do for me as well.
December brings us the following holidays and days of significance: Pearl Harbor Day, the First day of Winter, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.
Craig Pessin, HOA Administrator
Two things to remember in life:
1) You can’t help those who don’t want to be helped.
2) You can’t change anyone but yourself. So, stop wasting your time trying to change others.