I hired a team to help me handle an overwhelming situation, and had to leave when my brother died. They had already informed me that it worse than they thought and prepared me for almost everything to be gone, similar to their clients with house fires.
My first spark of hope came via text message while in a restaurant with my remaining immediate family (except for my daughter). We were in Minnesota taking care of my brother's belongings while my own were being piled into dumpsters back in Oklahoma.
I sat at a table eating burgers my son made in the restaurant's kitchen (his job at the time) when I heard a ping and read the words, "The piano can be saved." Tears overtook my words, and I replied with a series of hearts.
When the hired team was done, I was left with this:
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| Fall 2023 |
That's where rebuilding my home life started.
I took to playing designer. What did I want? Colors? Floors? Style? Bit by bit I settled in and discovered what I liked. "Modern organic" was a term I adopted at one point. Being a Christian, I involved the Lord in the process, but He didn't seem to have an opinion on those elements. All He said was that it would be a house of kindness. And honestly, that's where almost everything came from—the kindness of people's hearts.
First came a sturdy bed, leather couch, and matching recliner from my mom and step-dad. I had never owned a recliner! And it came just after I had accepted another bed from a ministry connection. Laughable, but also helpful as I was able to sleep in one while the other was getting set up, and I now have a guest room.
Then I found a rug at ReStore (for my living room) along with a seconhand dresser, small table, and chair. My bedroom because a peaceful haven where I could sleep and have coffee by my corner windows overlooking the back yard.
My parents returned with a cool modern lamp and a family table that folds down. A friend gave me his retro lamp which just happened to complement the modern one. My church found donations of all kinds from bedding to food and even a small couch!
I prepared for a desk in the middle of the livingroom and bought a standing desk topper on ultra clearance. Odd? Yes. But I'm a writer, and I wanted to work where I had a stellar view. This new life wouldn't include housing anyone else, so I made it all about ME! LOL. (That's been a hard thing, actually, but I'm liking it now.) While waiting for the big desk, I had a thought to set up the topper and use a meditation cushion to sit and write.
The "zen desk" became my favorite place. I liked it so much that I kept it as is! I now have two more desks, the first from a fellow ghostwriter and her husband which is my official office desk (the nicest I've ever had!), and the second, a salvage item from before that took a little elbow grease and is now in my former dining room, which is the most roomy workspace and gathering place when grandkids come over.
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| Spring 2025 |
Today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Everywhere I look, I have SO MUCH to be grateful for—first the piano that was saved (it was originally my grandparents' on my dad's side) and then for the great generosity that filled my home up once again.
When I saw the word largesse, it made me think of the abundant kindness and generosity that has come my way in the last year and a half. I happened to see it today when I went to merriam-webster.com on my phone. As I started to type, the URL came up from a word of the day in 2019!
largesse* (noun) lahr-ZHESS
1 : liberal giving (as of money) to or as if to an inferior; also : something so given
2 : generosity
The word largesse, which also can be spelled largess, has been part of the English language since at least the 13th century. It derives via Anglo-French from the Latin word largus, meaning "abundant" or "generous." Largus is also the source of our word large. As far back as the 14th century, we used the word largeness as a synonym of largesse (meaning "liberal giving"), but largeness was also at that same time being used more frequently as it is now: to refer to physical magnitude and bulk rather than to magnanimity.
In the spirit of discovering gratitude, I have been overwhelmed to look around me and see the largesse of family, friends, church, and God. This truly is a house of kindness.
The piano itself has a deeper story of kindness and generosity, so I'll save it for the letter P!
*"largesse." Merriam-Webster.com. (1 February 2019).
#AtoZChallenge
#DiscoverGratitude
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