It’s a week of change for many of us. Clocks spring forward an hour. Schools take a break for a week. And for us, it’s officially the first week of our home reconstruction.
Appliances were removed. Floors were torn out. Oak cabinets, countertops and the center island were all taken out. Tile was chipped away. Water damaged insulation, drywall and subfloors were replaced. The open concept downstairs is now completely cleared and ready for new work to begin.
Sad and glad.
We helped design and build this home, so seeing it torn apart is an emotional rollercoaster. I was so mad when the water valve failure ruined so much of my home. And I worried about contamination, health and safety. So having it all removed, finally, was a relief.
But it was also sad to walk into the empty shell that remains. Yes, the beautiful ebony wood floor is gone. Colorful tile broken in pieces. Oak cabinets removed. When I looked around, I saw decades of our family life excavated.
Years of little things: homework at the desk, birthday parties, cookie decorating, egg coloring, teenage sleepovers, holidays, graduations, bridal showers, cats and dogs and newborn babies. Down in one corner, only a single letter magnet remained.
Embracing the new.
But, just like the clocks, I’m moving forward. We’ve picked our selections for sinks, countertops, flooring and paint. The cabinets are being built. And next week, I’m hoping to see new paint on the walls and ceilings to get ready for the cabinet and flooring installations.
Trying to see the new in the rubble of the old is hard. But as I went around watering my plants, I noticed the small, new leaves unfurling. On our walk, daffodils and hyacinth are popping up. And next to the sidewalk was this lovely note and a group of canning jars filled with plum blossoms. I scooped up a jar of flowering branches and walked on with a smile on my face and a much lighter heart.
Loss is hard, no doubt about it. But now, it’s time to open my arms and my heart, like spring, to new growth, new family events and making new memories.
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