“This is exactly what we wanted,” Becky says, walking upstairs to a quiet playroom that will soon be filled with the heavenly sounds of grandkids.
She and John don’t appear at all stressed for a couple nearing the finish line of a long-distance move. They don’t see boxes. Instead, they see real-life reminders of the kinds of -ness they imagined for their forever home: freshness, friendliness, fitness, contentedness.
“This is where we’ll start most days,” John says, sliding open a glassdoor view of Lake Oconee. Gorgeousness.
He stands quietly for a ten count, allowing his guests to marinate in Lake Oconee’s peacefulness. From this spot, John and Becky straddle the marvelous dichotomy between nature and upscale convenience that defines life in Richland Pointe.
“How about we get a drink?” John says on cue. He and Becky lead the way to Richland Pointe Restaurant with a distinct attribute in their posture: happiness. The door to the restaurant opens.
Good evening, Becky! Hi, John!
John: These people made a big impact on us. One story captures it best. We were staying in The Landing while our house here was being built. Our children and grandchildren came to visit and one night we decided to come over to Richland Pointe to look at the progress and have dinner. It wasn’t until everyone traveled back home that we realized one of our granddaughters had left her Minnie Mouse doll on the lawn behind the restaurant.
Becky: Instead of saying, “Come get it,” the manager sent us a personal message, “Oh yes, Minnie is enjoying her stay with us. We’ll take good care of her until you return.” When we came back three months later, he had Minnie waiting for our granddaughter.
John: That little story captures the identity of Reynolds.
Becky: There’s a certain demeanor everywhere. The receptionist at the fitness center greets us by name and asks about our family. The dockhands at the marina show us how to tie knots.
John: It’s never out of duty either. It’s genuine, the way good friends treat each other. I think that’s what did it for us: the community of kindness.
John: But let me wind it back. I came down to Augusta in 2013 to take our company’s customers to The Masters. While we were there, a guy from another company told me about a Ritz-Carlton at this place called Reynolds. I had to see it for myself, so I drove over the next day. As soon as I saw the golf courses, the lake, and the homes, I called Becky from the car.
Becky: He was describing it to me while he was driving around. He said, “I have to bring you here.” A getaway sounded great to me.
John: I knew Becky dreamed of living on a lake someday. Her family had a cottage on the Finger Lakes and her grandparents had a cottage in the Adirondacks.
Becky: The fact that my stories meant so much to John says a lot about him. We’d been looking around Florida and the Carolinas, but our first long weekend at Reynolds changed how we were thinking. It began ten years of visiting and imagining.
John: We had a few good reasons to delay a move.
Becky: He means raising four boys. We wanted to help them through high school and college before making a major life change. During that time, John and I took quite a few trips to Reynolds.
John: After the boys graduated and I retired, we got more serious about looking for a place.
Becky: Our agent at Reynolds gave us the best advice: “Be patient. Don’t settle. When the right home or lot comes up, you’ll know it.” Rather than going for the quick sale, she cared about our long-term happiness. We followed her advice. We waited.
John: I’m glad we did. When we looked at the plans for Richland Pointe and toured lots, we knew this is what we’d been waiting for. We could have a nice size home, limited maintenance, beautiful sunrises over the lake, and great amenities. All right here.
Becky: To us, this is more than a house. It’s a lifestyle with the best of both worlds.
John: And $3 beers on tap. That’s another nice personal touch for Members. It’s already starting to feel like home for us. I can’t imagine how it will feel with each passing day.
Becky: We have so much to look forward to. I started playing golf a few years ago with all of this in mind. John likes to play, and I wanted us to have another activity to enjoy together.
John: And we have eight courses to choose from.
John: But that’s another reason Reynolds is right for us. We want to be active and try new things. We’re both new to boating, for example, so being on an enormous lake is perfect. We can also walk to the fitness center and use the Techno-Gym equipment.
Becky: I’ll take a yoga class and Zumba, maybe some other classes, too. At some point, we’ll check out the pickleball scene.
John: But we won’t play tennis — I can’t compete with her.
Becky: You know what I’ve thought about most? Simple times. Our four sons are scattered all over: England, Jersey City, Ohio, Raleigh. They can’t wait to come here. I can see us taking walks along the lake and through the woods with the grandkids, maybe spreading out a blanket, having a picnic and enjoying the simplicity of just being together.
John: We’re still getting to know Reynolds. We look forward to getting on our bikes to explore. We enjoy the drives to Athens or Greensboro or Madison. When you say Reynolds is halfway between Atlanta and Augusta, people think it must be remote. But when you’re here, you realize how much there is to do and see.
Becky: The loveliness. The kindness. Those are the everyday pleasures. I remind myself we’re only getting started. It doesn’t cause restlessness because we’re filled with just … thankfulness.
