Kim Meckler
Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you (Alanis Morissette) - it can be coasting along one minute and at a dead stop the next.
The thing you are convinced that you can’t live without becomes the very thing you are willing to give up in face of an even graver decision. In the face of life-altering decisions or even crisis, our true nature is revealed and I believe often those decisions surprise even those of us who think we know ourselves well.
The news reports of recent house fires in and around Red Deer has caused me to wonder what my life would be like without all of my ‘things’, would I be devastated by the loss or would I be able to rise above and go with an attitude of, ‘they are only things’? If I take a realistic look at my current home situation I think that I would be able to look past losing anything as long as my family and my precious puppy were safe.
Yes, decor is important and a beautifully appointed home comforts the soul but be careful not to put too much emotional value in items.
I absolutely understand the value in family photos and mementos from our children and relatives and if you are in possession of such items then it may be a good idea to rent a safety deposit box or keep these mementos (or copies) in an offsite location just in case a calamity strikes.
In my recent house search I have been challenged as to what is ‘home’ and what can and can’t be lived with and I have to tell you that a great deal of my perspective has changed over the years.
The time I have spent on furnishing and designing my homes has been joyful but I am also realizing that I don’t have to have it ALL to be happy and to have it feel like home.
In searching I have found that different parts of each house speak to me in different ways. One place is charming and cozy and the next has wonderful light and an abundance of storage space.
The common denominator is that I will make any place I purchase home, I will fill it with my treasures and photos but more importantly I will fill it with people that I love.
It’s time to get back to hosting and caring for my loved ones and I am eager to once again open up my home and myself to family and friends.
Regardless of what things I may have and not worrying that I may need a few renovations in whatever home I finally choose.
Whether you have lost your home to fire, flood, divorce or any other life circumstance it is up to you to rebuild and feather your nest once again.
Home is the sum of all parts of your life, not just the items that you may possess.
Things can be bought and sold and decor shifts and evolves as time marches on but if you keep home in your heart you will take it with you regardless of where you live.
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.