Well, I have calculated dates wrong, and today is the day for correction. It's actually Day 32. Over halfway through the sabbatical.
It was a beach day today.
Yes, I got a bit of a burn. Not bad for an old, fat, white guy.
It was interesting to watch the birds and the people interact. My pelican photos didn't turn out at all. The pelicans would body surf on the waves next to people seemingly unconcerned about the people floating next to them. Then they would rise up into the air and plunge to the water again.
There were some gulls and crows along the beach too. They were foraging for the dead fish that were washing ashore.
There were lots of families with children. It was hot. There were no clouds. Not the kind of day that you would suspect locals to be out much. I saw no old men in speedos either. Bonus.
Dinner was at Ridgway Bar and Grill. A little pricey. Ok. A lot. But it was a good decision and we were able to order summer specials that came at a lower rate. The restaurant was not crowded at all. On a Friday night in Lexington it's difficult to get a seat anywhere. The dining was relaxed and the food was delicious. Our server, Terri, was fun. She talked about her dogs. She talked about her life in Naples. She was a joy.
After dinner we drove along Gulf Shore Dr and marveled at homes that probably cost above $50,000,000. It is beyond comprehension in some ways. Back to the beach for sunset.
Wealth and privilege are on display everywhere in Naples. Of the kind I have never seen in a concentrated area and time frame. Rolls Royce. Bentley. A McClaren. Lambos. Ferraris. Houses that have full staffs year 'round. Opulence on steroids. It just pushes the boundaries here and that has caused me a great deal of reflection. I will never know wealth like this in my life and neither will 99% of America. The 1% are everywhere here. And wow, do they have the goods. Life among the wealthiest is so far removed from what I experience that it is difficult to understand. My zero turn mower is in the shop back in Lexington and will cost $900 to repair. That's a budget buster for us. The kind of wealth one sees here is simply beyond my ability to comprehend.
Everyone here is nice. I have not witnessed one wealthy person being a tyrant to staff in restaurants. (The wealthy probably aren't eating where we are.) I have not seen a Mercedes, Rolls driver be uncourteous in any way. If the super wealthy have been near us, they have been undetectable. So, I have no indictment to offer for those who are among the 1% based on the way I have experienced life here, but, I have been raised, socialized, taught to believe that such wealth is anathema, and that rich people are not nice, and that super wealth is to be condemned. I have been preached a gospel that says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person get into heaven. I have been taught that wealthy people are immoral, selfish and uninterested in the plight of those who live in poverty.
I suspect that much of that is actually true, but I also suspect that the truth is nuanced. I wonder. Is wealth inherently evil and against the will of God? Are wealthy people living a life that is counter to the Gospel? I have seen poor people be significantly more generous than they could seemingly afford and I have met arrogant and selfish wealthy persons. But that's not the whole truth. It's a part of my experience, but it isn't the whole of experience.
I am enjoying this week very much, but I do sometimes feel like an alien in a strange land.
Peace and Love,
Jerry
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