Sometimes the Best View of Home Comes From Somewhere Else
This week, our summer baseball travels took us to Meridian, Mississippi. If you've ever spent a summer chasing tournament schedules, you know that much of your time is spent on highways, in hotel lobbies, and looking for somewhere to grab a meal between games. What I didn't expect was to come home with a renewed appreciation for Biloxi.
Between games, we spent some time exploring downtown Meridian. Like Biloxi, Meridian is in the midst of a downtown revitalization. Historic buildings are being restored, public spaces are being improved, and local leaders and business owners are investing in the future of their community. As we walked through downtown, I stopped to admire a beautifully restored alleyway featuring a colorful mural celebrating the city. It was the kind of place that makes you pause for a moment and appreciate the vision, effort, and investment that went into transforming what was once an overlooked space into something people can enjoy and take pride in.
Standing there, I couldn't help but think about home.
Lately, it seems like the loudest conversations about Biloxi have centered around what's wrong. Spend a few minutes on social media and you'll find complaints about traffic, construction, parking, development projects, and just about every other inconvenience that comes with a growing city. While some of those concerns are certainly valid, it struck me how easy it is to become so focused on the frustrations of growth that we lose sight of the opportunities it creates.
Seeing Meridian reminded me that revitalization doesn't happen by accident. It requires vision. It requires investment. It requires patience. Most importantly, it requires people who are willing to believe in what their community can become. Every thriving downtown I've ever visited has one thing in common: at some point, someone complained about the changes. Growth is rarely convenient. Construction is messy. Progress takes time.
But I'd rather live in a city that's growing than one that's standing still.
When I look around Biloxi, I see a community with so much to offer. We have a beautiful waterfront, a thriving tourism industry, Gulf fresh seafood that encompasses so much of our communities heritage, incredible locally owned restaurants and businesses, year-round events, the creative energy of the George Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art and a downtown that continues to evolve. In recent weeks, we've celebrated the restoration of the historic Saenger Theater, preserving an important piece of our city's history while creating a space for future generations to enjoy. We are home to Ground Zero Blues Club, a destination known far beyond the Mississippi Gulf Coast that brings visitors from around the country to experience authentic Delta blues culture. We have Keesler Federal Park overlooking the Gulf, a growing Town Green that serves as a gathering place for our community, and new restaurants, shops, and attractions continuing to invest in the future of our city.
It's easy to take progress for granted when you're watching it happen every day.
None of these things happened overnight, and none of them happened without people taking risks, making investments, and believing that Biloxi's best days were still ahead.
Are there things we can improve? Absolutely. Every city has room to grow. But sometimes it takes stepping outside your own community to appreciate just how much you already have.
Meridian gave me that reminder this week.
As we packed up and headed toward our next baseball stop, I found myself feeling grateful. Grateful for the people who continue to invest in Biloxi. Grateful for the businesses that choose to open their doors here. Grateful for the visionaries who see potential where others see problems. And grateful to call this city home.
Sometimes the best view of home comes from somewhere else.