For the past 3 weeks I have been homeless. Well, homeless in the logistical sense of the word, more accurately on a journey of discovering what “home” means. In the process of building our new house we have experienced the joy of a quick and easy sale of our original house, and the frustration of a few paperwork delays on our new land parcel. The result – all non-essential belongings are in storage and we are living in a fifth wheel trailer belonging to some very generous friends, parked next door to the home of the same very generous friends. I am often reminded of the times that I thought it would be neat to live a simple life on a very small scale – doable…but maybe not my choice for permanent living quarters.
The highlight of it all is finding that I don’t feel homeless. The “Lady of the House” next door…a.k.a. my roommate (I use their bathroom and am free to wander about), a.k.a. my landlord (they own our current lodgings), a.k.a. my business partner (we dabble in some real estate together), is my wonderful friend Julia. We both have husbands with busy travel schedules, so it is often just us and her children. I am welcome in the gorgeous, newly remodeled kitchen and am enjoying having some extra tummies to fill. I Love to cook! It is nice to have the kids ask me when I’m coming home, and when they can come over for a sleepover. It blessed my heart that my laundry was magically done and folded the other day.
It might be 3 more months before we have a house again. Who knows how our living arrangements might change between now and then? The novelty of small-scale living might wear off, and I might pine for a few more square feet and a full-sized pantry. But I’m glad to be experiencing this truth – that Home is a state of mind for me. As long as I have a cozy nest in which to curl up and sleep, somebody to cook dinner for, and people in my life who like me just the way I am – even as I look when I’ve just rolled out of bed – then I am at home. To be a bit cliché, “My cup runneth over.”
5 comments:
I am so glad that you have a trailer to live in and such great friends. We stayed in a hotel when we were in a similar situation, one of those ones that has "rent" for either 1 night, 1 week or 1 month. Not the best place to be hanging out!
Julia sounds like a wonderful friend! :) I am glad you find yourself enjoying the little things these days.
If it's the cooking you long for, you can use my kitchen anytime...
Beck - you built your house in the wrong county for that, but you could always buy the 2 acres next door to me and start over. :) Wanna? Wanna? Know anybody who does wanna who I would want to have for a neighbor?
Ahh, how sweet. I guess I should have read this a few months ago. It would have made my day. Now you are gone, living in an apartment too far away to cook dinner with. Sniff, sniff...
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