Of Dreams Past (Passed)
Today marks the culmination of
approximately nine months of preparation for the transfer of a landmark.
That timeframe could be called a gestational period in which four of them were
spent deconstructing my parents' homestead. This "real estate"
property was built by my grandfather, a fact that was always a point of pride
as I remember going on the final walkthrough with my father before we occupied
it as a family. These reflections are what has made this process at times
gut wrenching as my sisters, and I sifted through fifty plus years of
accumulated memories.
From the moment we compelled
our mother to realize that living alone in a place where she had spent decades
building her life was no longer safe, we began in earnest the daunting task of
preparing to sell, at her request, what to us felt like a sacred place. I
am sharing these thoughts because many of my peers are facing similar
transitions in which, if we're honest, can be turbulent emotionally and
financially if you have not soberly planned or pondered the delicate
scaffolding that accompanies this decision.
I asked God for wisdom and
compassion. This process can be traumatic for our parents who had crafted
and curated a life in a homestead that shaped our initial sense of society and
family. There was an internal conflict wherein I felt with each piece of
furniture moved or clothing packed in boxes, I was ripping up roots while
simultaneously planting them for the new owners. As the listing agent, I
had to vacillate between my professional obligation to make decisions that made
the property the most appealing to potential buyers while ignoring the kid in
me who remembers when his dad built the now weather-worn storage shed for his
lawn equipment and other tools.
This long, ranch-style home
seemed endless when we first moved in.
As we began to strategically clear each room, at times we had to pause,
breathe, reflect and yes mourn. My
parents provided a plethora of wonderful experiences not just for us, but for
countless college students, church members and neighbors. Fish fries, Sunday
dinners, friends, and neighbors gathering and most of all a purposeful
habitation for the Lord’s presence. Each room of the house had its own unique
history, including the “Do Not Touch” living room which still looked like it
was suspended in time. We chose to be
stewards over this preparation/process because of a sense of sacrality and
respect.
Four months later, she stood
barren, stripped of her covering of furnishings, books, appliances and my
mother’s enormous wardrobe. Her makeover required a new roof, restored front
porch, minor landscaping, plumbing and drywall repairs, and fresh coats of
paint all of which gave us a glimpse of her former glory. As I finished the
administrative requirements to list the house, my finger struggled to press the
key to actuate this transaction. Memories began to cascade of what this address
meant to me, my sisters but most of all my mother. I wanted to preserve that, “keep
it in the family” maintain legacy. Truth is that you must have an astute grasp
of what that decision requires financially, and the ancillary responsibilities
bereft of the emotions. Having managed a similar transaction showed me in high
definition that owning and managing older homes will quickly jar you from the
HGTV version of what it entails.
As I walked through what now felt
like a cavernous abode, even barren, decades of love caressed me as I walked
from room to room to inspect the contractor’s work. I was okay until I glanced
at my dad’s empty study and the open space where my mom’s baby grand piano once
occupied. The Psalmist and the Berean were no longer here. At that moment, it
felt safe to cry a hybrid mixture of mourning and celebration that my sisters
and I had honored my parents in preparing their home for a family that I prayed
would provide the kind of experiences we were so fortunate to receive.