This is my last time
sitting alone in this home
on a work / school day,
nobody around
to occupy my mind’s space…
just the quiet chugging of the fridge
accompanying the symphony
of birds
and white noise outside.
The books to my right
stare at me.
So much knowledge and wisdom and art:
literary legacies left behind
by writers long gone
(and many still around).
My own contribution sits on the shelf, too,
as I feel gratitude for completing it,
even as the next book prepares for its entrance
(with yet another lurking in the shadows, too).
So much has happened
since we made this place our home.
Over 12 years –
the longest I’ve ever lived in a single dwelling;
and this being my favourite (by far).
For no place has ever matched
the serenity and light…
the peace that’s seeped into my heart
from the gift of calling this my sanctuary.
We came here as three,
and leave as four.
(Five, if you count the cat.)
We’ve seen it change so much:
from those untidy floors
and the troublesome plumbing pillar
(which once gave us weeds in the kitchen),
chipped stairs
and a bathroom with 7 kinds of tiles.
To a fully-renovated,
beautifully modern space
that still held the same atmosphere I loved…
The atmosphere I thought
would be mine for many years to come.
But life moves on.
And the sustenance
of this beloved dwelling
must pass on to someone new.
And I wish them all the peace
and love and happiness
in this new home.
I wish for it to be as good to them
as it was to me,
and for moments…memories…
both sweet and bitter,
but unmistakenly their own,
that will stay with them forever.
Home is not a place.
It’s a feeling.
A feeling we hold dear within us,
and take with us
wherever we go.
And though the feelings
(and memories)
of this particular home
will fade,
I hope to hold on to it
forever more.
And in Paradise
(if I get there)
I’ll visit once more…
feel it all again.
And again,
be grateful
for the best home
I’ve ever had.
On the subject of homes, I ask that you all listen to this incredibly beautiful story from Rhea Pechter – who produces a wonderful podcast of kids’ stories. And even though this was a kids’ story, it feels much more like an adult one. If you’ve ever had a home – particularly a childhood home – that you loved and grew up in, give this story a try. You won’t regret it:
https://www.littlestoriestinypeople.com/podcast/season12/S12E03-The_Story_Of_A_House.html
slip-sliding away..... 