Feeling good on a Sunday Morning | Eastern North Carolina Now

    I live in a Del Webb retirement community. For those not in the know, it is a 55 year old and up community that caters to the seasoned citizens. The theory is that you want to associate with those who have common interest and experiences as you. It is an age-old human wish to be among like-minded people.

    I am not a big social butterfly in this community. I am more of the reclusive neighbor who enjoys someone else cutting his grass. One observation I have made since moving into this neighborhood in 2008, is that the only overriding commonality of the community is the 55-year-old age requirement.

    Other than that, the community is just a diverse and varied as life outside the gates. There is a club for every activity or hobby. Here is just a sample from the monthly neighborhood magazine. Trail club, Military Support Group, Military retirees, Blue Sneakers, Garden Club, Democrat Group, Softball, Red Sky book club, Eighty Ladies, Senior Bowling league, Republican Group, Kick ball, OWL investing group, Day Trippers, Great Decisions Group, Pickleball, Internet group, Sailing Group, Shalom Group, Culinary Group, Romeos, Singles, Tennis Club, and finally Paws and Claws. The list goes on but you get the idea.

    Yesterday, we had the vendor fair. That is where local merchants set up in the clubhouse and try to entice you to spreading the social security money to the rest of the community. I made a parking lot tour of the clubhouse just to see what was up. There were no parking spaces; everyone leaving had a bag full of "who knows what" trinkets.

    Two things stuck out that gave me hope for this country.

    No matter how old you are, you will always be able to get excited when the honky wagon comes to the neighborhood.

    Boys will be boys. Give me a ball and a bat and I can get up a game. If we cannot get up enough to have a game, we will play pop-up.