A Porch To Be Swept

I was reading my favorite columnist, Sharon Randall, yesterday as she talked about their upcoming move to California from Vegas.  Retirement and the grandchildren were calling them back "home" to CA.  In her column spoke about the rituals she performed to get comfortable in new place of residence, whether an apartment, a trailer, or a house.  It got me thinking about all our moves and what each place meant to us.

We have moved 20 times, with 14 of those being major moves to new towns, several states, and one third world country.  We have lived in tiny apartments in both a basement and upstairs of a house, we have lived in an air stream trailer,  duplexes, parsonages, and houses rented and owned.  Packing up and changing locations has been a major part of our marriage.

I think moving can be fun and exciting, but it is also stressful. Starting over can be challenging.  When we were first married we had a built in community in the Air Force and then after seminary in the ministry.  People waiting to welcome us, people who were on the same journey as us, or those awaiting the arrival of a new pastor and family to love on.  For 35 years in ministry, God led us and the people welcomed us.

Unpacking was always an adventure. Finding the right rooms for the family, the right place for things we held dear.  One of the first things I always did was to put up the wall hangings.  You would think they would go up last, but, for me, I took comfort in knowing that those pictures and paintings, many with an emotional attachment, had their rightful place on the walls.  They helped make each house a home.

Our friends who are now full time RV'ers have a house on wheels.  Their location will change periodically except for winters in Tucson.  What they treasure is compact now, with what fits in their movable space.  Their RV has become their home.  The familiar within will be a comfort I expect, as each adventure takes them somewhere new.

Sharon Randall wrote that one of the ways she feels "at home" in a new place is to go out and "sweep the porch", something she and her family in North Carolina have done for generations.  It brought up to me the importance of a porch for us.  Decks are more popular than ever, but I have noticed that many houses also have porches.  When we added a porch to the front of our house 10 years ago, it not only changed the look of our home, but it changed us inside.  We love "porch time".  In the sun or rain we are protected from the weather and yet able to get outdoors.  I am not sure I would want to live without a porch again.  It soothes my soul.

Life often redefines where we call home.  In Randall's column she stated that a home is a place where you offer hospitality.  Where you put your feet on the couch and your coffee on the table, turning your TV up too loud.  It is a place of peace where you welcome family and friends.  I can only nod in agreement with her wise words.  And hopefully it is a place for your hopes and dreams, your memories, and even a porch to be swept.