I found out recently that my parents have a contract on their house that they've had on and off the market for the past year. They are excited to retire and begin a new chapter in their lives, yet afraid of the comfort zone they are about to leave and the big changes that lie ahead. They've been in their house for about 24 years, since I started 3rd grade. This is the house I really grew up in. I remember the house we lived in before that, but only in little bits and pieces. Two weekends ago we had a "last hurrah" of sorts... my sister, brother, grandma and myself all came together, at which point my parents made the big announcement.
When I found out, I wasn't necessarily surprised because I knew they'd had a lot of interest in the house recently, but I did choke up with the overwhelming mix of emotions in those few moments after I heard the news. I'm so excited for them, but a little sad at the
same time. I feel like I'm letting go of a piece of my life, and my past, as well. On Saturday night we all sat and watched a movie of the building of our house, from the digging of the basement to the building of the patio, porch and swingset. There was quite a bit of laughter at the funny hair-do's and silly remarks that we made as kids. But there was quite of bit of reflection going on in the room as well.
That house hasn't been mine for a long time now. I lived there for about a year after I graduated college and haven't been back to live there since. But even so, I've always still considered it to be "home". My comfort zone. It's where most of my family's traditions were created.... from lazy summer days floating by the pool to big family gatherings at Christmas.... My parents both have quite the green thumb as well (something I unfortunately did not inherit), and landscaping is a passion for them. They've done so much with the 2 acres to make it their little paradise. Although sitting by the pool and walking through the yard the last weekend I was there I considered it to be more like a sanctuary.
When I found out, I wasn't necessarily surprised because I knew they'd had a lot of interest in the house recently, but I did choke up with the overwhelming mix of emotions in those few moments after I heard the news. I'm so excited for them, but a little sad at the
same time. I feel like I'm letting go of a piece of my life, and my past, as well. On Saturday night we all sat and watched a movie of the building of our house, from the digging of the basement to the building of the patio, porch and swingset. There was quite a bit of laughter at the funny hair-do's and silly remarks that we made as kids. But there was quite of bit of reflection going on in the room as well.That house hasn't been mine for a long time now. I lived there for about a year after I graduated college and haven't been back to live there since. But even so, I've always still considered it to be "home". My comfort zone. It's where most of my family's traditions were created.... from lazy summer days floating by the pool to big family gatherings at Christmas.... My parents both have quite the green thumb as well (something I unfortunately did not inherit), and landscaping is a passion for them. They've done so much with the 2 acres to make it their little paradise. Although sitting by the pool and walking through the yard the last weekend I was there I considered it to be more like a sanctuary.
Things will be a lot different going forward. It's going to be strange at first, going to visit my parents somewhere else, in another house, in another state. Change can be so hard! But change can also be really good! And sometimes you have to leave that comfort zone to make a change in order to move forward and to grow.
Now that my husband and I have our own family, we're searching for the right house to call our home... a place where our kids can call home, where someday they will be able to look back with great memories. A place where we will continue to grow as a family and create new traditions of our own.
Although at the same time, I've also been thinking that a house doesn't necessarily make a home, but home is wherever our family is. And life isn't about the place where we live or the house we live in, but the relationships with the people we love... our family, friends, neighbors, and God... however close or far apart we are.
