I struggled to make this little box sound insightful, witty and philosophical all at the same time. I think we all do that. But it honestly boils down to this: I have an opinion and I like to share it.
Extension of a Home
February 24th, 2010 by snowkissed received 1 Comment »A lot of people talk about making your house a home. The change from one word to a synonym carries so much meaning, but do we truly understand what it means? That is… until we have to perform the transformation ourselves. 6 months ago I drove 34 hours (with a wonderful Theta sister) to arrive in Houston, TX from Edmonton, AB. I had many of my possessions in my car, but it was really just the “essentials”, as I see them. Clothes, toiletries, shoes, computer, xbox, etc. What didn’t accompany me immediately was furniture, personal effects, collections and memories. I had boxed so many memories, but had to wait for them to join me.
Over time, I found and purchased a home here in Houston, a lovely condo with a great layout that suits what I was looking for. A great kitchen, living room, cozy bed and convenient bathroom. The layout and the new furniture didn’t make the place feel quite right. It was home, to be sure, but it lacked a certain warmth. Personality. A hint of memory. Granted, the memories would come slowly, but I wanted my own to occupy the space.
I must say, however, that building most of the furniture in this place has made it feel more like mine. I look at the entertainment center, coffee table, book cases, kitchen table, chairs and I can say, “I put that together. This is the result of my hard work.” As much as I really love to hate on Ikea and the bruises and cuts I’ve accumulated after assembling furniture from there, it’s actually helped me appreciate the space I occupy a little more. Trusting my furniture is trusting my work, and (to be really cheesy) it’s a matter of trusting myself.
That extra warmth is building up, however, and though it makes me feel mostly happy, there’s that hint of nostalgia as well. The friends left behind and the memories (both good and bad) that you’re suddenly able to relive. So many people try to start with a fresh, blank slate. They want to leave the past behind. And I admit that that was my attitude as well. But now, more than ever, as I make this “house” a home, I realize that those memories, that dirty, scratched, colored and worn slate is my personality. It’s my character. It’s my loves, my hates and my realizations. It’s who I am and if you want to leave that behind, if you want to start yourself anew, then you have more serious problems than you could ever imagine.
But me, I am who I am and my home is now a reflection of that. A little cluttered, a little girly, a little geeky.
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Good luck with your place. I’m going through the same thing now. I’m moving across town from an apartment to a single family house. I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into at first, but I think the work we put into things makes us comfortable in saying, “This is mine, and I’m proud of what I’ve done.”
I guess you are somewhat of a neighbor now seeing as I am in Oklahoma and you’re in Texas. I moved out here from Virginia in 2007 to take a job. Same for you?