In July, my wife and I made the decision to uproot and move north to Tennessee. I am now being told since I am north of Macon I am a Yankee. I have always dreamed of living in the foothills of east Tennessee and at the age of 61, my dream came to fruition. We bought a lovely home in a quiet subdivision and set up housekeeping to live out our years away from family and dear friends we have known for eternity. Now I am not one to pick up and move every few years. During our forty-two years of marriage we have owned three homes, the first we lived in eighteen years and the second twenty-one so chances are this will be our last.
Our first home was small but it was our first and we loved that home. Our children were born while living there and as they grew we added room. I remember my first office; we had a laundry room attached to the carport and decided to enclose it and make a small office. I was on the road for several days each week and needed somewhere other than the kitchen table to do my work. The room had a window, but it was not in an area that allowed me to see out into the world as I worked. Life can be pretty scary when you can’t see what is happening around you.
Our second home allowed me to have a large office above the garage. When I say large I mean about 400 square feet of Gary space. I had my TV, computers, and storage for my materials, filing cabinets and two windows. The one directly behind me was small and octagonal shaped, but to see out I had to get out of my chair and stand. The other was at the end of the room and useless as well without making the effort to get up and look out. Once again leaving me with the uneasy feeling of not being able to see what is outside and around me.
Our third home in Tennessee is quite different; my office is in one of the rooms upstairs. My desk sits in front of a large window that faces the street and I can see everything that is going on in the neighborhood. I am amazed at how many people have different lawn services and the amount of new appliances that are delivered each day. I watch as the neighbor down the street leaves for her jog each morning which makes me feel guilty because I need to walk, jog, or go to the YMCA. I can see the season as it changes which is probably the most fascinating thing to observe. The trees as they begin their slow transition to a winters sleep and the brilliant colors of the leaves as they adorn the quilt like colors of fall. The sky becomes a beautiful Carolina blue and the clouds seem to take a back seat to the play that winter is preparing. I can actually see the world through this large window on the second floor of my home and grasp the beauty of each day.
Windows are important and very beneficial, they allow light to shine into a dark and unfriendly room. A window keeps the sweltering heat from summer and the bitter cold winds of winter from entering a home. Windows allow us to see the world around us. William Shakespeare said, “The Eyes are the window to your soul.” Pretty profound statement when one dwells on these words. I love to watch people’s eyes; you can get a lot of information if we take the time to concentrate on the people we come in contact with daily. Some people talk with their eyes, others have a beautiful sparkle or dancing effect when they talk, yet others show hurt, pain and depression. Eyes that are sad or tear filled show emotion that is unlike any other look a person can have. Recently I was having a conversation with a friend I have known for many years and this subject came up. Sometimes the people we come in contact with are great actors and show no signs of hurt or pain, but deep inside they are being ripped apart and no one knows until it is too late.
I love my new office with its large window, it allows me to be apart of the large beautiful world that God has made yet stay warm, dry, and comfortable as I write about the things that weigh on my heart. As I progress into the so called, winter of my life, I see the world differently through each window before me. I watch the beauty of people as they enjoy their families, I see the innocence of children as they play, not realizing the dangers the world holds. I see the opportunities that I did not take advantage of and the joys and successes I have achieved. I see the friends and loved ones that have exhausted their time in this world and the beauty of the ones we care so dearly for. I see the world through the window that is before me.
As you look through those eyes that can bear so much of your soul, be sure to see through the whole window not just a small pane. We all know that the bigger the picture the better scenery. If you would all excuse me, I have to go now to clean my window; I see a dirty spot and do not want to miss anything.
Life Happens
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