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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | APRIL 2025 | 13 When asked, "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail," people will express their innermost dreams. When asked why they didn't pursue their heart's desires, often the response is fear of failure with its ugly cousins, shame and regret. Most choose the lesser route, still wanting the elusive dream but protected from the consequences of not achieving it. Judgment may be the most significant roadblock to living a happy and productive life. Sadly, none are exempt. When decisions are required, we act with the results often described as good or bad judgment, but, the constant need to judge everyone or everything we contact debilitates relationships and steals joy from our lives. We all do it, constantly rendering opinions (judgments) on all things great and small. From politics to people to the way the checker at the grocery store bags your purchase, we judge. The act often says more about the one who criticizes than the intended target. In our criticism, we actively pass negative judgment, often accompanied by some measure of anger. The proclamation elevates us to a superior position, reinforcing our need for control. Each judgment carries an expectation of change that when not enacted can foster lingering resentment while continually finding fault corrodes the soul. I'm often taken aback when reading comments about Sun Lakes on Facebook pages or listening to conversations. If someone doesn't like any aspect of their experience here, there is assumed fault or even malice. Some think the problems are issues the Master Board must address and anything short of a positive resolution is unacceptable. Amid the f lurry of demeaning comments, there's an assumption that the people "running this place" are know nothing incompetents who should be ousted and replaced by someone who can really fix things. Most of these critiques arise from those who are simply ill-informed, quick to judge but never taking time to understand the bylaws and systems that are the backbone of our community. Our bylaws and CC&Rs were established nearly forty years ago by a group of intelligent and well-meaning founders. Because of their work, no single individual can make significant changes lacking majority support from the membership. In a word, stability. Everyone purchasing a home in our community must agree to abide by the HOA's CC&Rs and bylaws at the close of escrow. While you may not like some of them, you agreed to observe those rules. If you feel strongly enough about changing the system at Sun Lakes, you should become involved in its governance. Investigate the rules and regulations established at the inception of Sun Lakes and you'll find a foundation which protects all but cannot be altered unless a majority of the membership votes to amend the founding documents. Last year the Delegate Assembly voted to change the manner in which membership votes cast in our elections are recorded. The Delegate Assembly believes a Delegate should not be able to change the votes in a District where quorum is not met (less than 50 percent of residents voted). The DDA can't just agree this change is good for the community so the bylaws are immediately amended. A majority vote of the membership is required to enact the measure, so, it appears on the election ballot sent to you alongside the candidates for the Master Board. This is how our system of governance changes – by prescribed incremental steps that can seem awkward, clunky, stodgy and interminably slow. A majority of the membership always controls significant changes to our governance, which yields our stability. We are a community run by volunteer committees, so volunteer. You cannot inf luence change without working within the way the community was organized. Become a Delegate. Attend Master Board meetings. Join a Board Advisory Committee. It's the path to change and your good judgment will set you on that road. ~ Cal Martin From the Delegate Assembly

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