Gene Francis and Gated Communities

Here's an excerpt from the road trip journal that Alan and I fastidiously kept:

We're on the road once again heading to Charleston, SC. The past two days have been spent at the home of Gene Earl Francis III in Winston-Salem, NC, a town built nearly entirely on the fortunes that tobacco has created. It was great to spend time with Gene, the original "rock star" of our college experience. We had the good fortune of being treated to a private concert during which Gene showcased some new songs as well as a couple golden oldies, if you will.
It's difficult to put into words all that Gene meant to us during college and all that he means to us still. He befriended us and hung out with us when he could have chosen to spend time with literally any student at PBA. He just had a personality that drew people to himself. Gene still possesses this personality trait as evidenced by his interactions with people and the willingness they have to help him in any applicable way whether that be getting him a beautiful, maplenecked guitar or loaning him a maroon Volkswagen Jetta when his car broke down. All in all, spending time with Gene while listening to music has been among the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of the trip thus far.
The North Carolina scenery has also been the most enjoyable on the trip to this point. The rolling mountains complete with fall colors have been a showcase of God's gorgeous creation. I simply hope that North Carolina does not follow the path that Florida has taken especially given the fact that North Carolina's population has been growing rapidly just as Florida's did during the last 50 or so years.
By this statement, I mean that hopefully the nature God created for us to enjoy and which initially draws humanity to a place will be preserved and protected and not cut down and paved over in the name of "progress" as has unfortunately been the case in Florida.
This nature serves to bring us closer to the heart of God in a way that no gated community or condominium building can match regardless of whatever name is chosen to grace the rock placed out front with big, capital letters on it: a name that likely will describe the place that has just been destroyed rather than the horde of cookie cutter houses that have just been constructed.