…… it never gets old.
Remember when you vacationed at the shore as a child? The magic is still here.
As a Yaya (aka grandmother) I see it in the eyes of my grandchildren. They put down their iPads and play pirate with me. Together we step back to a simpler time. Sleep late, eat ice cream, chase fiddler crabs and watch sea turtle nests at night. Miss Jean, at the turtle hospital can tell you when they are expected to hatch. The key word is expected. Don’t bother them, let Mother Nature help them find the sea. (Keep your porch lights off.)
As a real estate broker here on the island I have to be precise and detail oriented and days can really be chaotic. As a result, I truly treasure those quiet moments when I can reminisce about days gone by. The last contract I drew was 37 pages long. Whew! I remember when we ordered our contracts from the NC Real Estate Commission, they were one page long front and back; in a box of 25 legal sized pads. I could sell the whole island by filling out the front and back of one sheet on the hood of my car. Those days are long gone. We, as a profession are much more educated and knowledgeable about our “product” these days. Ask me about Flood Insurance, NCJUA, CAMA Regulations, etc.
Enough of that. I’d rather hum along with The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet, the Drifters and Lionel Ritchie than eat when I’m hungry. It’s all about a beach attitude. Something in the Salt Air I suppose. As a property manager of vacation homes here on the island I see our guests/vacationers getting out of their cars with three or four kids in tow, who by the way have been in the car for 10-12 hours they are ready for some Topsail Island Adventure. The in-laws are following behind, in their own car, Thank God. They are uptight and ready for their vacation to start now.
Fast forward one week. That same uptight, tense Mom and Dad are two of the most laid back people in town. The kids are still kids and thank heaven for that. The only thing they don’t like is the fact they have to leave and go back to their own kind of rat race. As they leave, over the shoulder they say………”we should have bought a place here last year.”
Caution, I HEARD THAT. That’s about as high pressure as I get. Take a nap, dream of incense and peppermint, unplug all of those gadgets and commune with nature. Kayak, paddle board, surf, swim, jog, skate or do absolutely nothing at all.
Listen closely and you will hear the tides calling you back again and again.
By Cathy Medlin, a lifelong resident, she owns Island Real Estate.
