The Gull's Call - Oct/Nov/Dec 2023

President'sColumn by Bill Pai, Community Board President

Although so much of our national dialogue today has become polarized and divisive, I remain optimistic that our national character is such that we will not forget that which unites us is greater than what divides us. Let’s remember and cherish the halcyon days of summer barbecues, Fourth of July parades, baseball games, and picnics – activities which are quintessentially American and celebrated here in Alameda as well as around our country. If we can pluck the mystic chords of memory to once again summon the better angels of our nature, anything is possible in this great nation. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. - William Shakespeare

SUMMER REFLECTIONS A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawnmower is broken. - James Dent I T WAS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023 THAT CHANGING national health guidelines and the course of events finally allowed our residents to begin re-engaging in many activities which were suspended during the pandemic. CHBIOA resumed scheduling events such as its annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, E-Waste/ Shredding, and Community Parking Lot Sale. All these were well-attended and appreciated by those involved. Thanks to the Community staff members for making these events possible. This summer many people also took the opportunity to visit faraway relatives we hadn’t seen since the pandemic caused many nations to implement strict quarantine policies on foreign visitors. This reporter was finally able to take my family to Taiwan so our son could see his grandparents for the first time in 3 years. Although traveling to Asia can involve some time and expense, watching their smiles upon seeing their only grandchild in person again made it all worthwhile. With school resuming and summer coming to an end, I hope that most community members have also been able at some point over the past few months to rest and recharge, resume additional normal activities and remember the positives in our lives. Summer being a time of school breaks, vacations, and beautiful weather is one of the best times for relaxation, reflection, and recommitment. Not only is doing so fun, it is restorative and important for our overall mental health.

6 October | November | December 2023

The Gull’s Call