Thou Shall Renovate Before It's Too Late

"I have found that if you love life, life will love you back."  ~~ Arthur Rubinstein


A couple of weeks ago, I was driving down Line Avenue, here in Shreveport, La.

Line Avenue is one of those streets that can literally take you from one end of Shreveport to the other.  I sometimes love taking Line all the way down until I hit the interstate because when I do that, I get to catch a glimpse of my old childhood home that is on Wilkinson Street. (right off of Line).

That old house on Wilkinson carries for me many, wonderful childhood memories.  It was originally a two-story duplex, with the top story identical to the bottom story in it's floor plan.  So, in essence, my sister Kimberly and I had our very own "apartment" with our very own kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, living and dining room.  We thought we were too cool for school!! (at the ripe old age of 7 and 8.) ha!

I have shared so many precious memories of this house with my own children, so when I passed by that old street a couple of weeks ago, and saw that my old house was up for sale, I just couldn't resist!  I had to call the realtor and ask for a tour!

I was so excited when the realtor told me that we could meet at noon that very day!  I called my husband, my mom and aunt...and even checked my little girl out of school for a "surprise lunch" so we could all tour the old Wilkinson house together!

When we all arrived, we were so excited, (especially Mom and me).  We could hardly wait to step into the old house.....step back into the past.....step back into all of those precious memories that were sure to come flooding back into the forefront of our minds.  All we needed to do was take that first step...and so we did.....

My heart sank as we entered the front door.   "Oh no! No, no, no, no, no...... what happened to this place?"

I was completely devastated.  The walls were stained and peeling paint was everywhere.  The draperies were tattered and torn, (if they were still hanging on the windows at all.)  The shelves in the closets were falling apart.  The smell was that of musk and just plain oldness".  The backyard was almost frightening to look at, with the garage completely dilapidated like it had been a victim of some terrible tornado.  The weeds were growing through some of the window panes and the floors in some of the rooms were buckling and completely ruined.  It was almost too much for my heart.

I literally felt an ache in the depths of my soul as I entered each room trying desperately to recall any memory of happy times in that house.

I remember saying to my husband and daughter, "Yall! It never looked like this!  I swear!  This looks nothing like I remember!  Truly....It was bigger, sunnier, happier, when my family lived here!  This is all so sad... I can't see anymore.  We need to go."

Then in a desperate attempt to try and give my daughter a separate visual than what she was actually  viewing, I said "Summer, (pointing to my childhood bedroom) this is the room that held my white canopy bed, chest of drawers and dresser that is yours now.  This room was so beautiful then!"

She kind of looked around the room as if she was trying to picture it all like I was describing it.   Half-smiling, I continued.... "Sum, it looks so very small now.  This terrible smell was never here." I said as my voice trailed,  "You know what?" I said, feeling defeated, "Why don't we just go."

I couldn't help but feel so sad that day.  I wondered to myself, "After we moved away, did my old house ever feel a family's love and care again?  Was it ever again able to hold within it's walls the sounds of joy and laughter.....those sounds that once emanated throughout it's every nook and cranny?"
Gosh, I was sad.

I politely thanked the realtor for allowing us in and as quickly as we arrived, we were gone again.

It has been two weeks now and I still can't get it out of my mind.

I kind of look at that old house as a metaphor for our human lives, in a way.... and especially the relationships that we share with others.

Like that old house on Wilkinson....... If the important relationships in our lives don't get the right amount of tender, loving care and attention, I'm afraid what you might find in the end is fragile and buckling spirits.....broken down lines of communication..... You might even find the walls of comfort and trust have, over time, become stripped bare.
...And ultimately...those nasty weeds and vines of bitterness will have crept in and overtaken the windows of your heart until all that is left is a shell of the person you once were.

In other words, like that old house, your relationship will have become broken.....dilapidated.

But here's the good news! ~~ It's never too late to renovate! ~~

If you are willing to pour some good ole time, effort, energy AND LOVE into those relationships you care about, you will be AMAZED at what you can rebuild!

And sometimes......just sometimes....... what you REbuild can actually result in a stronger, better and more precious "home" than it ever was before!

Yeh.... I quite like that...... "It's never too late to renovate."

Hmmm....Good.....Very good.
I think I like that a lot.

Okay, just my thoughts for today....
Take care of your loved ones!
Teri