This afternoon we drove south to an historic, classy, neighboring suburb to see the home our friends had recently purchased. With gorgeous details, wood floors and character only time can lend, this 1930's house is a charmer. And it's big at four bedrooms, several bathrooms, and lots of neat nooks at every turn.
It's fun to imagine the shape their home will take over time as they work hard to make it their own. It's mostly fun for me to imagine what I would do, or how I would decorate all of that gorgeous space. I tend to do that... visit other people's homes and let the wheels of my brain turn, dreaming about what I could do, as if it belonged to me.
On the way home from our visit, we stopped at our favorite Chinese restaurant. It's such a favorite that we know the total of our bill before we even order. Our combination plate, plus an additional cup of won ton soup and an egg roll feeds all three of us with no leftovers.
Over dinner we discussed the size of the great, new (old) house that our friends had. We talked about all of the space, all of the rooms, and how much fun Morgan had roaming and running freely. It was fun to dream about our future in a bigger house. As the bill came out with our fortune cookies, we smiled as we read $12.19.
I cracked open my cookie, read my fortune and tossed it aside. And then Scott handed his over to me with a funny grin.
How ironic. And how true.
This small sentence was pretty powerful. Sometimes it feels like our happiness is being rerserved for the future. We're always thinking the grass is greener elsewhere. It's hard to remember that our happiness can be bursting out of the windows and slipping out underneath the drafty doors of our small, ranch home. It shouldn't be reserved for a future we know nothing about.
Challenging as it may be, I have to remember that we've traded oodles of family happiness for a commitment to live here indefinitely. It's quality over quantity right now for us. And that's okay.
Just like our cheap eats tonight, so is our lifestyle. Small, but mighty.
twelve nineteen
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Posted by Rach at 5:47 PM
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3 comments:
AMEN! AMEN! and...AMEN!!
Rachel - that was a beautiful and powerful post. And what you see as a small lifestyle is definitely rich in love and happiness. That was evident in the time I spent with Morgan who is truly delightful. Your big house will come in time, until then you will be rich in family.
I, too, love imagining what I would do to other's homes, which is why I love when people come to see our new place. Even driving home from dinner tonight, I was peeking in neighbors' homes to see what they had done and what was happening in there.
Thanks for coming to share our experience!
Cousin Kevin said thoughtfully about his small house;
"I agree with you Rach. Love our big family in our little house."
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