Going Home

Thursday, May 7, 2009
I've been crafting this post in my head for days, probably weeks. It's certainly been on my mind for even longer than that. Today, I leave for two days in Pennsylvania. I'm returning to my childhood home, the place where my sisters and I were born and raised. A home where my parents lived for close to 50 years.

My sisters and I are selling my parents house today in a public auction. The organizational part of me wants to sell the house and wrap up the affairs of my parents' Estate. The emotional part of me wants to hang on to the house forever. This is the home in which I lost every single one of my baby teeth, woke up every Christmas morning believing that Santa had come the night before and placed lots of fun toys under the tree, watched cartoons on the sofa every Saturday morning, and happily celebrated birthdays and holidays.

It is sure to be an emotional day for me. The important part is that I have years and years of wonderful memories of my childhood home and my parents. Those memories will not disappear from my memory once the house is sold. Perhaps they'll be stronger and more special to me.

What is most sad to me is that the house is the largest physical link I have left to my parents, and soon that physical link will be gone. I have other physical links, furniture, jewelry, cards, letters, etc.

But what is most special about the house is that it was the place we shared as a family. My parents, my three sisters and I, and of course, the many pets we've had over the years. I hope the next family to take up residence there will create lasting memories and carve out there own special nest just as we had done for so many years.

1 comment

Farmgirl Paints said...

What an emotional jouney you are going to be taking. I get choked up just thinking about it. I can't imagine doing that with my parent's house and yet someday I will. Oh my thoughts and prayers will be with you this weekend. Take it all in and let it all go. Oh and have a lovely Mother's day too.