They are back….
I’ve been in a few local businesses in the past few weeks and I’ve heard that phrase, “they’re back” more than a few times (aka it’s Snowbird season). I heard a young lady reply to a woman who said they’re back the other day, “Yeah, I know couldn’t they just stay up north?”
I know what people are referring to as I drive around town. Our streets are going to get congested, the lines at Publix, the Costco handouts and Starbucks are going to be longer. All of us “locals” will have to make reservations if we decide to go out to a restaurant. All of these things are easily viewed as an inconvenience.
But you know what? Anna and I managed to take a short vacation about 2 weeks ago. We went to Barbados. We needed a little getaway, because it’s been a very active summer for business. The people in Barbados rely, much like the people in Naples, on vacationers to keep their economy going. We talked to many business owners who were praying for their “season” to start. I’ll tell you something else, every one of the people were extremely polite, even excited that we’d chosen their island to come to for a vacation. We asked about traffic during season, “it’s horrible” they said. We asked about lines, and crowds and everything else we experience here in Naples during November through April. “It’s horrible… but without it we’d never survive and thrive.”
It got me thinking about Naples. Sure we’d love to have it the way it is in summer, year round, but without the tourists, the snowbirds, and the constant influx of vacationers Naples wouldn’t have grown into the thriving area it is. I know how frustrating it can be sitting in traffic, or worse yet dodging someone who doesn’t quite know what they’re doing behind the wheel of a car. I know how tiring it is to stand in line 5 times longer than normal waiting for a cup of coffee. But if we all just stop and think for a minute we’d realize that no one owns the sunshine, no one human being has claim to our beautiful weather, pristine white sandy beaches or that beautiful Gulf of Mexico. And for the most part, I’d venture to say 90% of us or more came from somewhere else anyway. We’re all just passing through really. So, this season, when some “northerner” with out of state plates cuts you off, try and just smile, enjoy the sunshine, bask in the knowledge that you live in a place where literally thousands of people save up all year long just to come to for a week or two, or more, and give thanks that you actually live here. How great is that? And how lucky are you?
They are back… and it’s a good thing.
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