Nothing Ventured

Nothing ventured, nothing gained; this phrase has been stated for years as a way for people to take chances, or better yet, opportunities that might stretch them. Anything new brings that sense of excitement, trepidation, fear of failure, and allure of success.

Time also causes excitement and fear. It continues to march on and although we can never catch it, reflection of what it has taught us can open many fond memories or cause pain from the pictures stamped in our mind.

As we age, our reflections become deeper and our appreciation of what we had or have done play vividly in our mind. The thoughts of what we want to achieve with our remaining time feel rushed because we never know when the clock will stop.

As March approaches it means many things to people. Spring is right around the corner, Major League Baseball is being played locally, and just a short trip down U.S. Highway 27 the 12 Hours of Sebring will be run. This year I will have the honor of attending with my dad for his 52nd trip to the race. This will be the 67th running of the race.

The race began in 1950 and my dad was only two. Since he has been to so many, I often think about how many changes he has seen. The cars, the track, the crowd, heck, even the partying is different now. That cruel reminder of how time marches on is easily seen by some of the old-timers hanging on to their youth while cruising the paddock during the race sessions. Although this is only a race, it is a microcosm of my thoughts on time. Just like the changes that have occurred at the track the world's clock continues to tick forward.

Things happen at such a fast pace now, how many things will last 50 years as we move forward? Companies come and go, traditions continued to be lessened, and with the advent of the 24-hour news, life, and trend cycle, we are fortunate if things last five years. Heck, only 11 percent, or 53 of the Fortune 500 companies that made the list in 1955 are still around.

Times change, but truly good things do last. We have even changed the way we digest our news. As I approach the 50-year mark myself, still a few years away, I realize how much I have witnessed and how many things have happened.

Go back to your Google, Bing, or whatever search engine tickles your fancy and see what has happened over the past 50 years. Magical things, spectacular things, horrible things, life changing things, and world changing things will be in each of your reflections. Now, what have you learned from those experiences?

Moving forward is how we gain new experiences. I still remember the first time I got a text on my flip phone and the frustration there was when I had to type my response. Flash forward to now and it's amazing that we can even make phone calls on the data generator we carry in our pocket. This device is how we see the world.

Soon, we are going to be able to read our local news from local reporters right on our screen. Shoot, my daughter wrote her last report on her phone, edited it, and submitted it and never opened a computer.

For those who are set in their ways they have earned it. The stubbornness and pride they have is a badge of honor for them. They don't always trust technology and don't grasp all that is happening around. Most realize that time is marching on and the virtual doors will only open if they embrace the necessary changes.

As we adapt the way we do business humans want more and more to assist with their productivity. A funny thing has happened in all this progress though; we have lost touch with those right beside us. There is a new yearning for information that directly affects our lives. Not just what is happening in the big cities, the country, or a world that still takes a plane ride to reach.

Fifty years ago, the newspaper was delivered to your door every morning, the television went off after the late news or Carson, and you went to stores to shop. Today, the news never stops scrolling across your device, you can watch television 25 hours a day, and brown boxes on your front step are the new mall.

This advancement is amazing and numbing at the same time. The local flare has been lost in this "brave new world" but there is change coming forward. No, we aren't bringing back Carson or the newspaper boy telling you to "Read all about it", but we are bringing you your community's information back to you. It will be modern, mobile, and intelligent. So, pick up your favorite tablet, phone, or sit at the park with your laptop and become informed with what is happening in Lake Wales with LakeWalesNews.net.

Trey Heath is a REALTOR (R) with Century 21 At Your Service Realty in Lake Wales. He and wife, Michelle, live in Babson Park with their daughter, Brianna.