When the real estate bubble popped a few years ago, a lot of people around here and other places experienced devastating losses. Some of them got back on the proverbial horse and started over with a more renewed spirit, learning from their mistakes, others are still struggling, wondering how it all happened.
And while we are seeing tremendous regrowth, we have not forgotten how we got here.
Property values are ascending, people are buying second homes again for their beach getaways and even more amazing, people are BUILDING again, but there is still the dust of loss in the air.
Some of us blow it away in reaffirmation of our own strength and some of us feel it weighing in on our chests.
Many people that you know here lost thousands, even millions of dollars. People gave back their homes, their cars, and put their designer shoes for auction on Ebay. You know people in your neighborhood that held off on a divorce because they could not afford it, or asked their children to consider community college instead, or even moved in with their seventy year old parents.
So when we ponder all this lost……what did we really lose?
What is it truly a loss if we learned from it?
If it made us better?
Is it a “loss” only when we quit?
A certain Vince Lombardi quote comes to mind, “We didn’t lose the game…..we just ran out of time.”
We still live in an amazing place. There is still sunshine to be had, from Panama City Beach to Destin. There are still waves to be surfed….okay so only during tropical storms. 🙂
My point is our panhandle coastline is still a beautiful, glorious place. We have lost nothing. If anything we have gained.
Those of us that gave our possessions back to the bank learned to appreciate what really mattered, our relationships with our loved ones, with our God, with our inner self, all items that interest rates and the stock market index can not commandeer , unless we let them.
Those of us that experienced material loss had an amazing opportunity to look deep inside ourselves and tap into our own abundance, our own power to create and manifest. We gained spiritually.
So we went back to school. We picked up new skills, we changed careers. We started to write that business plan, that song, that piece of art we always dreamed about. We rolled up our sleeves and job or no job, we got back to work. I watched my mother start over at nearly fifty years old. I watched her build a company and then help start another. She chose not to relive, but to rebuild. A choice, that many people in this community have made.
This is an area that is used to rebuilding. When a hurricane is coming, we put boards on our windows until the storm passes. We do what is necessary, but we do not stop living.
And living we are, as occupancy rates are up, houses are selling and 2012 is on point to be a record breaking year for visitors, all proving that the Florida panhandle is resilient and ready for the next chapter of her adventure.
And the best part?
Coppertone still smells like heaven.
PCBDaily 
Very uplifting post! Sure hope you are right!
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Hyperbole.
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This web site should go back to the previous owner or shut down. Jason has run it to the ground.
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I will agree that this website is basically nothing more than a propaganda platform for real estate rentals/sales with the occasional meaningful article written somewhere in the middle. But it seems that the majority of the content is just lots of sunshine being blown up our “you know what”. Of course, that is the job of realtors anyway…
Hopefully they can turn this site around and post less about real estate and more about PCB activities/news. I do enjoy those and Jason does a good job even if I don’t always agree with him.
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Gentlemen, you are correct . We could stand to improve some things as I am sure you have things in your life that could be improved.
I am sure your constructive feedback would be appreciated if done in an email and in a kinder format .
The “sunshine ” is my own personal, hopeful perspective. If you do not like it, you must certainly do not have to read it.
Wishing you both the peace that we all seek .
Britt Matthews
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Very up-lifting positive article….. I enjoyed reading it.
Anytime you experience any type of loss it is always best to re-group and get right back into things again. Anytime there is an economic slump there is always a rise to accompany, it may not come right away but it will come & growth, rebuilding, purchasing and for Florida coast businesses tourism will return.
🙂 Have a blessed day & thanks for a well written article.
Cathy/Tennessee
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Cathy! Thank you for comment and affirmation. As you can see , not everyone eats it up,lol! Not only do the local market numbers show a comeback….but I feel it in my bones.
Thank you for sharing and have a fantastic week!
Britt@beachybeach.com
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Britt, I do believe you are correct & not only in PCB but in others areas across the United States……. as you well know when the economy is suffering it just isn’t in one area. All areas in some form or fashion take hits. I too believe we are on a steady up hill tug, it will take us a while but “WE” will come back with standing ovations!
Being Positive is the Key!
You have a good week too… 🙂
Cathy/Tennessee
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I enjoyed the uplifting story about the beach. That is how I feel, and even though I have to drive 12 hours to get there, I do it as often as possible to keep my sanity in this crazy world. Sticking my toes in the sand is a lot more peaceful than sitting in a counselor’s office chair! LOL
However, this summer I was a bit stressed with the sheer numbers of people. I’ve NEVER seen so much junk on the beaches, so many cars driving dangerously, and just over crowding up and down the entire beach area. I was really depressed because there was no place to go for a quiet moment. I, for one, would be happy if things didn’t start moving again like it did before 2008. If all the high rises fill up at the same time, there will be standing room only on the sand. Thank God some of them weren’t able to complete their mad building plans, and sorry to you realtors in PCB, but I hope I’m ashes in the surf before I see those greedy high rise builders return.
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Sharon I feel you! I do hope we learned our lesson. It is sad what greed makes us do. I like you, love the quiet and believe it or not, there are still places on PCB that are relatively quiet….If you are sweet I will tell you where they are lol. 🙂
Again, I am hopeful that we learned our lesson, but if we didn’t, I guess we will have to keep trying! Thank you for sharing!- Britt@beachybeach.com
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