Anyone Home?
I clean houses for a living and today I cleaned for the parents of one of my friends. They are in the process of moving into a new house and have all of the large pieces already moved. They asked me to come and do some final clean-up work where the furniture had been setting as well as a few other little things.
Well, I showed up this morning at almost 10:00am to see the house completely empty of furniture. I expected this, but it still gave me a funny feeling to see the house empty. They built the home themselves many years ago and it's been a little emotional for them to have to leave their home.
As I worked in each room, I stopped for a while almost expecting to hear the sounds from long ago. In the kitchen, the sounds of meals being prepared. In the dining room, the sounds of forks clanking against dinner plates while the chatter of the day's events are shared. In the bedrooms, the sounds of bedtime stories being told or the cries of a child after having a nightmare. In the bathroom, the sounds of a hairdryer from the teenager primping in front of the mirror for way too long. The garage, the sounds of someone getting their first car. The entryway, the sounds of someone's first date coming to the house to pick them up for the evening.
In the closets, I pictured prom dresses mixed in with baby clothes too precious to get rid of. Old school banners from days when sports were everything. In the yard, I pictured games of tag being played with the sounds of laughter being carried by the wind. In the basement, the sights and sounds of many parties with friends watching movies and eating way too much pizza.
It was sad today. A home for some has now become just a house to others. The life is gone and the building remains. A house is not a home without the ones that live there. For now, the house is asleep. It awaits the next family to cross it's threshold. Then, at that very special moment, you can once again listen and hear the sounds of a home. For a family is there and brings life to those old walls!
2 comments:
Thank you Jennifer. I was over to the house last night and saw the emptiness. For the first time I felt sad. Jodi and the rest of my family keep asking if I was sad, Natalie is having a hard time, but it hadn't bothered me until last night. I always said that since they took my basketball rim down, the house was not the same.
I stood there and listened for the memories. I could picture a different event for each room. I have to admit I was saddened. I am very pleased for my parents. I think they will like their new house a lot and I think it will be easier to take care of, but still a lot of memories in the old house. I was six when we built the house. So basically all my childhood memories are tied to that house.
I stood in the empty family room/ kitchen and had a fond memory. After the house was framed and had a roof, dad built the rest. So one night we were all there eating pizza on the floor, dad was laying the carpet and we were watching Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer on an old B/W TV that was sitting on the floor. There was no furniture, but it already felt like home. I remember that often, how excited we were to be so close to the new home. Last night was the first time I saw that room empty. I parallel that with us building a new house now. The girls are so excited, they can not wait to move in. I hope that they have as wonderful memories of their home as I do of mine.
Thank you for your thoughts and for all the help with mom and dad.
Aaron
You're very welcome, Aaron. I'm always looking for something good to write about on my blogs. Sometimes nothing comes to mind and other times it slaps me in the face. Today was one of those days, needless to say. I felt this strange need to write about my experiences today. I'm to the point now that I don't question this kind of need. I just say "Ok, God." and then I do it.
I hope I've brought about some good memories in this post. When it comes to writing about other people and sensitve issues, I always try to be very respectful and extra careful about the wording I use. I feel pleased with how this particular post turned out. Sometimes when I write, it's as though I'm a transcriptionist and I'm typing everthing God says. Other times, it's just me rambling on and on and on and on.....
(kinda' like now) :D
Post a Comment