EDITOR’S
LETTER
One of the best things about this time of year is the camaraderie felt amongst friends. I daresay
there are few people who come down in the winter who don’t make at least one new friend
every time. Gasparilla Island in the winter is a very social place, with lots of smiles, handshakes
and hugs to be found, whether you’re at dinner at The Temp or at the post offi ce.
But it’s also a place of solitude and refl ection. Many people come here to recharge their batteries, to
absorb the power of the sun and the waves and to spend time listening to the birds and the wind in the
trees. Their cell phone spends a little more time on the charging stand, and less time in their hand. More
tennis is played, more meals are shared, and sunset gatherings are commonplace ... if for no other reason
than an appreciation for the ritual.
Friendships made on this island are quite often for a lifetime. They represent some of the best of
times. You might fi nd that you’ve learned more from them than you have from all the teachers you had
in school, or felt more comfortable with them than you are with some family members. People who
play together, who take their down time together, have a special place for each other in their hearts.
I have made friends here who are 20 years old, and some who are 80. There is no age limit on a true
friendship, on kindred spirits. What they say is true – treasure those relationships with people you don’t
see every day, because that is the measure of a true friend. If you leave them in May and can pick right
back up in January, these are your people.
Always treasure the friends you make here, and never take them for granted. One day, before you
know it, they might be gone ... but in the mean time, savor it all.
Let’s just be kind to each other, and appreciate life. It’s not too much to ask.
14 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE March/April 2020
Marcy Shortuse
Editor-in-Chief