Around this
time 23 years ago Jan and I found ourselves in the first paragraphs of a very
exciting new chapter of our lives. The house we have called home since
September 1993 was taking shape in front of our eyes… and we went to see its progress
almost every night after supper. We would walk around on the floors imagining
the rooms through the framing skeleton and we would peek out the holes where
the windows would go. It was one of the greatest days of our lives when we were
handed the keys to our dream home and started living in it.
And so much
living has happened here. Teenage girls grew into adults who flew the nest when
it became “just too small!” Birthdays and anniversaries have been celebrated
with garden parties. “The Danish Invasion” for our silver anniversary
is still the talk of the neighbourhood! Small sticks grew into towering trees.
The waterfall in the backyard was and is a magnet for songbirds. Walking on the pathway kept us in shape. The laughter
of the grandson echoes even when he’s not here. The ambulance came only once! Tears
fell as family departed after a visit, and after a life well lived. Friendships
were formed with neighbours. Working careers came to an end. Retirement began.
When we
built the house we saw ourselves living it in forever. No need to downsize as
the house is the perfect size for a retired couple. Some people can’t wait to
get out of Calgary and its climate, but we never felt that way. We loved our
house, we loved its location, we loved the extra hours retirement allowed us to
spend at home. BUT… all good things come to an end for one reason or another.
Life is funny that way.
Perspectives
have a way of changing as we grow older. In our younger camping days we wanted
to travel across the country in a truck and fifth wheel when we retired. Now we
couldn’t imagine doing that, preferring instead the comfort of three (or more!)
stars and a cozy B&B. Having witnessed the support and care our parents,
and the parents of friends, needed in their senior years, we took a hard look
at our own lives and did some soul searching. As a result this is the last
month we will spend in our beloved Hidden Valley home.
Seneca said
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
Our new beginning in Black Diamond is exciting for many reasons, the top of which is we will be
living very close to family. That is a comforting and reassuring thought as we
grow older. And for many years to come, hopefully, we are “young” enough to
enjoy each other’s company and create memories together. We will come full
circle and return to a small town—our first house was in Lacombe—and at this
stage a quieter and slower pace of life is desirable.
The end of
the 1993 beginning was bittersweet for me for a long time. From thinking I
would never see that end alive to accepting it’s time to close that chapter
took a lot of effort and sleepless nights, but I can honestly say now I am at
peace with the decision. I am ready to let this house go. I am ready to make a
new house our home. I am ready for a new beginning.
