Kindness Is a Virtue

It’s a Wonderful World

By Lisa Marie Burwell

We can all get carried away with the daily cares of life, and there are times when we have to deal with immense loss or difficulties. Showing compassion and kindness to everyone we meet might lighten someone else’s burden—possibly a burden that we are not even aware they are carrying. Life is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes it takes all the strength and courage we have to see the beauty and wonder of living each day, no matter what comes.

We are living in a time of great change in the world, and for many the stress is palpable. The more strained things get, the more committed I am to the mission of VIE, which is to continue spreading good news. It really is that simple: good news is the antidote to the strain and tension we are all feeling in this divided nation and even around the globe.

The images gracing the pages of this issue include tropical, magical, and faraway places; they are sure to evoke wanderlust in all of us. But we also have some stories from our very own Northwest Florida to tell. This summer, my illustrious friend Ted Corcoran, the president and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, shared with me some of the redevelopment projects that his historic Gulf Coast beach town will undertake in the coming years. Read all about the lofty evolution in “The Future Shines Bright: The Revitalization of Downtown Fort Walton Beach,” beautifully told by Janet Thomas.

This Bon Voyage issue is all about celebrating life, whether that means climbing mountains, escaping to a treehouse for some soul-nourishing relaxation, or something in between. As we usher in the new year, we send well-wishes to everyone traveling near and far. Two thousand twenty, here we come!

To Life!

—Lisa Marie

— V —