Yesterday we bid a final goodbye to our old home where we lived for 5 years.
Upsizing was inevitable. After Knuckles joined the family, we had really outgrown the house. We are really at a happy place after setting up our new home. But when we visited the old house to bid our final goodbyes, all of us remained silent, including our dog. The silence spoke loud and clear. None of us were bold enough to say that we miss our old home, but each of us in our silence reminisced our fond memories of that home.
That was our first home we bought as a family. We started out our life journey in a very modest way and at that time, buying this small cozy house was a huge leap of faith for us.
That’s the first home we set up with our love.
It is an understatement to say we have seen our fair share of bad times in that house. And at those moments, I’ve actually felt if this house is even unlucky for us! But today, when I stepped into that empty house, every nook and corner was telling me a different story. Stories of resilience, stories of small victories, stories of joy and definitely some stories of miseries.
Those were the walls I held onto for support when I lost my balance after my stroke. They were and are still strong and I always knew I could count on them. That was the bedroom where our son slept with us for 5 years. It’s the same bedroom where I kept an alarm for every hour at night to tend to my son post his surgery. This is the shower that has seen my tears innumerable times. That bathroom mirror probably knows the real me more than my loved ones! Those kitchen counters have witnessed so many messy experiments:)
Our beagle is a fur ball of energy. But when we were in that house yesterday, he silently lay down on the floor and got lost in a trance moment. Guess the house’s special to him too. It’s his first “home”. This is where our family felt “complete” for the first time. These walls have heard our prayers more than any temple or shrine. These walls have supported us more than anyone in this world. This is the first house that adorned my chosen drapes and gleamed in my favorite colors brown and beige that almost everyone calls boring.
The wind chimes chiming with a small cold breeze and our small bird feeder chittering all day with birds. This is the place my husband explored his green thumb for the first time and jumped overjoyed with every small strawberry and tomato he managed to reap in those tiny pots. Thank you home.. thank you for the memories. Thank you for being a part of our stories..
Seriously, the beauty in small things and little joys can never be replaced. We’ve definitely left pieces of us here. When I went back there I remembered this saying; “It’s not the size of your house that makes a home, it’s the size of your heart.
Our new abode is going to be a testimony to our remaining journey. We don’t know if they’re going to be new highs or lows. But I do know this home is going to have stories spun deep into its walls and doors too. Our new garden is going to bring more joy. Our new bird feeder is going to stand tall and hear all that ew chittering. The rabbits have figured out there are new strawberries in the neighborhood. Knuckles and “big bro” now have a special place to hangout just by themselves! And as for me, I have a new place to inspire my writing!
Emotions are running high. But new beginnings have their charm too. We will make these walls ours too.. Here’s to new beginnings.. Refreshed hopes. Cheers!
Amazing writing dear. You made me cry and smile at the same time. I feel like each home says good bye with a tear drop falling down their cheeks. I feel like for each home, their one eye is filled with tear while the other one gleams with hope. Good luck with everything. This will be a new beginning and a door to happiness. Congrats and wishing you guys tons of happiness and peace..
Congratulations on your new home. Beautiful memories of your old place, the home that walled our send off party 😍