Real Estate Round-Up: Gratitude is best expressed through generosity

This is the time of year that everyone talks about gratitude. It’s as if there’s an obligation to bring it up because, after all, we have a holiday named after it, Thanksgiving.

My first thought is, what a shame that we don’t talk about gratitude more regularly. It can’t possibly be that we as a people are only grateful from November to December each year, and the rest of the time, we’re just ­­______, fill in the blank. Thanksgiving does remind us to be grateful. I’m thankful for that.

So, what can we do with that gratitude? Is it enough to just think about it or make pronouncements about it? I’d like to propose that especially this year, with everything we have all endured, that we need to do much more than think or talk about gratitude. We need to act on that gratitude in ways that help others.

The funny thing about acting on a grand scale, stemming from gratitude, is that it benefits not only the person doing the action, but the entire community of people receiving the action. I’m suggesting that we must take our gratitude and multiply it by showing generosity.

So, how does this relate to real estate? If you talk with me, I could bring most any topic around to real estate. Real estate to me is a place we call home, a place we work, a place we worship, and a place we learn at, a place we dine at, a place we buy things at; real estate is tangible and it is part of every part of our lives. When we show generosity to the places I mentioned above, it lifts-up entire groups of people, entire communities.

This week, I want to focus on our gratitude spilling out to our local businesses. If you’re thankful for this wonderful village we live in, it probably has something to do with how charming, how friendly, how easy and how familiar Fallbrook feels. It feels this way because someone took a chance and opened a business, they thought you would enjoy it.

I am in my office, Monday through Friday, and I can tell you that every business owner in the central business district took a chance when they opened their shop or restaurant. They created a place they thought you would enjoy and support. Since I’m here most days, I know the owners and I appreciate their love of this village. I support each and every one of them throughout the year, in ways that I am able.

Take for example, the retail shops along Main Avenue. You can show your gratitude for the blessings in your life and pay that gratitude forward by shopping locally, first, and as often as possible. Yes, I know, it’s easier to shop on-line. But who does that benefit? No one locally.

No one from that big store in the cloud is going to say hi to you in the grocery store, or wave to you when they see you on the street. Did you know that 86% of every dollar spend locally goes right back into the local marketplace? When you shop on-line, none of the money spent goes back to the local marketplace.

How about the restaurants? They could all use a “gratitude” hug this year. They have been closed down, then partially opened up, and now during our colder, potentially wetter months, they are mostly closed down again. You can’t make this up.

How are they surviving? Not well. And possibly, not at all, if you don’t pay your gratitude forward and dine, outside, at these restaurants. They need your generous support, now.

The food service industry has been the hardest hit of the local businesses. At last count, 226 restaurants have closed in San Diego. When that happens, not only is the owner of the restaurant losing, in many cases, their life’s work, but the food servers, cooks, dishwashers, bartenders, landlords and all the suppliers are also losing their livelihoods. So far, Fallbrook has stayed strong, but without your generosity, this may not last.

Many of these restaurants offer takeout dining. If you’re eating with your family, friends or small group this year, why not consider treating yourself to little less work by ordering your holiday dinner from one of the local restaurants. I’m sure they would be happy to make up a special meal that would create some special memories for you and help them out.

Many of them also offer house specialty cocktails to go. Picture this, great food, and drinks, delivered to your door or picked up by you, and virtually no kitchen to clean up. Your gratitude is multiplied by all the people you help through your generosity.

One last place you can show your gratitude is by subscribing to the Village News. I know, that if you’re reading this column, you are a reader of the Village News. We all love reading the local stories and articles. I personally love the opinion pieces and Julie Reeder’s editor’s commentary.

When our children were in school, we loved reading about the sports and other school programs and awards. Our little town newspaper keeps us connected with each other and right now we could use a little more connection. But folks, the paper needs your support.

Last week it ran a special that cost $1.00 for the first month and only $5.99 per month thereafter. That’s only $67 a year.

At our office, we have a “newsstand” with copies of the Village News for visitors or new residents to Fallbrook. However, week after week, I see the same group of local individuals picking up a copy “for free” when they could be subscribing and thereby supporting the newspaper.

It’s time to stop freeloading and start supporting. Let’s show our gratitude for this unique and nearly extinct form of news and community information by being generous and take out a subscription.

Fallbrook has shown gratitude to many over the years, this year let’s pay it forward by being generous to the businesses who have been most greatly impacted. Thank you, Fallbrook.

Kim Murphy can be reached at [email protected] or 760-415-9292 or at 130 N Main Avenue, in Fallbrook. Her broker license is #01229921, and she is on the board of directors for the California Association of Realtors.