If we haven’t met already, let me introduce myself. My name is Craig Craze. My wife and I have four children, all born and raised in Rock Hill. Our family home is a stone’s throw from Kettlesong.

I was born and grew up in Charlotte. While Tiffany is from Idaho, she has embraced the South and raised well-mannered Southerners. (You say “No, sir” and “Yes, ma’am.” Men open doors for women. Don’t be rude by blowing your car horn—simply toot it. Wave to acknowledge people.)

From a work perspective, I have been fortunate to enjoy three professions. I practiced public relations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and New York City before coming to Rock Hill in the late ’90s. In Rock Hill, I started a custom audio/video and home automation business. That small business was acquired and merged into a larger company that has evolved to become the dominant supplier for the industry. I did not do it alone. I had great business partners. We eventually sold the business and I concluded my serve as CEO in 2015.

At that point in my life, I found myself wondering: What next? What will give me a sense of fulfillment? What will bring joy?

I believe most people instinctively seek for a life of joy. I am not talking about short-lived pleasures like a cool piece of watermelon on a hot summer day or a cup of hot chocolate on a frosty morning. I am talking about deep, long-lasting joy that comes from experiences and relationships. But sources of that joy are often illusive.

It took me 46 years to recognize one of my sources. Said concisely: I love building places that give people joy.

For my wife, it was a family home. For one daughter it was a greenhouse where she spends hours tending to her plants. For another daughter it was a zip line that enables her to fly effortlessly through the treetops.

The recognition of this source of joy, coupled with growing concern about the inevitable development that is coming, led me to form a partnership—Indigo Rush—with Nik. He and I both know that if development is purely driven by profit, and there is no vision for the greater good, then the change is likely to be what we fear. So we began working to create a vision. A vision that enables us to preserve what we love while allowing for growth. A central part of that vision is Kettlesong.

Kettlesong is children discovering creeks and playing in parks. Neighbors feeling safe because they know and talk with one another. Community members having a sense of belonging because they contribute and share. Kettlesong gives place to these experiences and relationships that can be profound sources of joy. That is a vision worth working toward.