Words Matter

A Social Consciousness Is Taking Hold

By Lisa Burwell

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.—Matthew 5:45, King James Version

An overwhelming and undesirable sense of hopelessness was a constant companion for many people last year. In most instances, the undercurrent of collective angst was felt even before it was realized. Things are unsettled and changing, and not all of it is bad—but it’s not all good either. Most of us don’t like change as it makes us uncomfortable. The mantra of “no pain, no gain” is embraced in situations of our own choosing, like making a resolution to read more books this year, take a much-needed respite from social media, and go to the gym more often, but few of us want to change unless we have made our own decision to do so.

Our political arena doesn’t even resemble what it has in bygone years. Catastrophic weather anomalies have been epic and way too close for comfort. The earth seems to be groaning from all the toxins and stress we’re placing on Mother Nature, and concern is heralded like never before regarding the environment, civil and religious freedoms, and differing opinions on just about everything.

The bottom line is that we’re going to need to do things differently than we have before. Technology, space, and time are rolling over us like tidal waves. For all of the upheaval, the one very good thing that has come of this thus far is that so many people are voicing their opinions and not sitting back waiting for things to get better. They’re taking action, and a sea change is on the rise.

This issue includes stories showcasing beautiful homes in Nashville, Northwest Florida, California, and Paris, to name a few. We also include stories of towns and businesses hit hard by Hurricane Michael and how they are progressing toward new beginnings. The juxtaposition of luxury homes alongside devastated areas is a sad and accurate depiction of life and how the good and the bad must coexist. But the human spirit is strong, and people are coming together like never before to help others. Please read stories from Mexico Beach, Florida, in a new section entitled #LoveMexicoBeach, which will be a monthly column in VIE so that we can give an intimate and personal portrait of real people there and how they can be helped. Author of Never Forgotten Coast” Alex Workman and photographer Jeremy Cowart show us the strength of the people of Mexico Beach in this series.

Our distinguished cover guy is Philippines–based real estate billionaire Robbie Antonio, whose tech start-up, Revolution Precrafted, features in “Go Big or Go Home” by Gerald F. Burwell. Considering how fast the world is changing, it’s no wonder that we may be logging online to order prefabricated homes designed by some of the world’s preeminent architects in the very near future.

In closing, we dedicate this issue to my father-in-law, Ralph R. Burwell, who passed away on November 14, 2018. He was an intelligent, decisive, and generous man who gave his all to his family and who served our country as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He loved VIE and would call to give us critiques and advice—and sometimes even praise—about the magazine. As an avid crossword puzzler, he frequently asked us why we didn’t include one in the magazine. And so, in his honor—and because words do matter—we dedicate our monthly crossword puzzles to him. May you rest in peace, Ralph, and thank you for loving your family so well!

To Life!

—Lisa Marie Burwell

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