It's been a little while since I wrote something on this blog. The last several days have been consumed with traveling and settling in to this new community I find myself a part of while I am waiting for a call out West. But, here are just a few random observations and musings on what I've seen since being here.
1. Florida is an odd place. I think, several years ago, I made the same comment about Texas, so I'm not sure if this is just because it's a subtropical climate, or if the culture here is truly different. But this is just odd. You have gated retirement communities, of which my parents' house is a part (more on that in a little bit), "playground" areas where amusement parks and other tourist attractions reside, desolate swampland, part of which we drove through yesterday on our way back and forth to Fort Lauderdale, the horse country of Ocala, which looks like something you might see in Kentucky, and then the "hillbilly/redneck" part of Florida. And you might be driving in the desolate swampland and then *bing* with no warning, you're in civilization/touristy playground area.
2. Gated communities, retirement and otherwise. I'm really not sure how I feel about this, as this is my first experience living in one. Where my parents live is one of the communities run by Del Webb, and it is a 55 and over only community. As someone under the age limit, I have a certain time limit as to how long I can live here with my parents; my father doesn't know what the time limit is, except that there is one. (Let's hope for a call process that will enable me to move out by the end of the summer!) I have a visitors' pass for my car, which I will have to get renewed periodically. And I'm on the "permanent list" meaning I always have permission to enter and exit the community as long as my folks are here, even when I'm no longer living here. This is a very orderly, well-kept up community. But, I feel like an unwelcome guest; an oddity. If I want to go swimming, I must be accompanied by one of my parents. So I think there is something inherently classist about this--no "undesirables" are wanted here, and I'm here only by permission. I'm taking this experience with me into ministry--I do not want my future congregation to be any kind of "gated community" and I will work hard to see that we are truly welcoming to all. (And I hope that someone will call me on it if I start to fall into the trap of not wanting "undesirables", whoever they may be, in my congregation.)
3. The climate, and the birds. There's a reason that people come to Florida in the winter and not in the summer. It's hot. I mean, really hot. And humid. I'm hibernating inside the air conditioning and swimming with my folks when I'm able to. There's a reason that Florida is also nicknamed "The Sunshine State". Lots of sunshine, especially first thing in the morning, and then the clouds roll in in the afternoon/evening. Sometimes there are also thunderstorms in the evening, which break the heat and humidity for a little while. And, I've gotten to know a whole new variety of birds that frequent the canal that runs in the back of my parents' yard: ahingas, ibises (white and glossy), whistling ducks, herons, egrets, and many others, including old standbys: mockingbirds and boat-tailed grackles. Bird watching may become my new hobby while I'm here.
Those are initial observations. This week on Saturday my brother gets married. Tomorrow my grandmother flies in to Florida, and the chaos will begin. I will try to post more observations this week as I'm able.
No comments:
Post a Comment