Sometimes when I'm having my habitual 'walk for health' (both mental and physical) around the local canal/river circuit, I sit for a while on one of the benches that Hirst Wood Regeneration Group (HWRG) has so thoughtfully provided. I call it the 'Here We Rest Gladly' bench. It overlooks this willow tree on the river bank, which some while ago lost much of its height to a storm or maybe just old age. I was delighted to notice how it is regrowing from its trunk, as willow does. If I was a tree, I would want to be a willow, graceful and pliant, bending with the winds of life and yet strongly rooted and resilient.
Somehow connected to that… Over the course of this last year I have been feeling motivated to sort through all my cupboards full of stuff, giving much away to charity shops. (I've been in my current house for 25 years. It has a lot of cupboards, consequently a lot of accumulated 'stuff'.) A gradual rather than reckless endeavour, I've had a sense of joy and freedom in doing so. As I've been sorting through things, I realised I was 'loosening the soil', going through a process of preparation for one day moving house to a smaller place that is more future-proof for me. At first I thought this would be a few years into the future. I have felt very peaceful about it and yet increasingly resolute. It's been less a decision, more a 'knowing'. After a few months, I found myself vaguely looking around at apartments for sale, and quite quickly realised that there were only two such developments that I really felt drawn to, both very local. A property came up in both of them at different times earlier this year and each time I started to think about it but then each time, for different reasons, making an offer to buy was not possible. Then, in August, a flat came up in one of them that felt 'just right'. I made an offer for it, which has been accepted. I put my house up for sale and received an offer within a week. Now I am just waiting to see if this is going to work out for me. Everything seems to take a very long time. (In the UK, the way the home-buying system works means that right until the very end you cannot be sure that someone isn't going to pull out and collapse the chain. It's stressful!)
The new flat is only about half a mile from here; I’ll no longer be in Saltaire village itself but really not far away. This area has come to mean so much to me over the years. I have friends locally and it's conveniently close to shops, church and other amenities. Happily I will not be losing all that. The apartment does need quite a bit of work, mostly cosmetic, to bring it up to scratch but, once the actual moving process is over (which is always quite hard going) I will have plenty of time to spend decorating and organising and getting it how I want it. I'm quietly excited. I want to approach the next stage of life positively, with a spirit of moving forward, rather than waiting until I can no longer manage in this bigger-than-I-need old house with very steep stairs. If I stayed and then 'had to move' because of an accident or illness, I would feel very different. It feels right to make a positive choice to move now and hopefully enjoy some years of good health and mobility in a new home, knowing that if I do become less able it should still work for me.
I'm sharing this now because at some point (all being well) I expect I will have to pause this blog, or at least post less frequently, in order to give my full attention to packing and moving. I will be back - and I will try to give fair warning if/when I stop. I always find it difficult when blog friends that I follow suddenly disappear. You can't help but feel concerned. But if I do stop, you will at least know why. For the time being, I am just trying to wait patiently for the conveyancing process to work its way through.
'Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear' Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
'Map out your future but do it in pencil' Jon Bon Jovi
'Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.' William Jennings Bryan
'Actually, not everything that happens is a matter of choice - but you can choose how you respond to it.' Me. Haha.
'Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfil the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.'
'Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.' Viktor E. Frankl
Downsizing makes everything easier I think. It lightens the load.
ReplyDeleteOh how exciting! I have loved this stage, the anticipation, the hope, and a bit of anxiety of "will it really happen?" I would (being in your shoes) be imagining where my furniture might best fit. And window treatments. And floor treatments. And and and. I loved your quotes about the future. So true!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wise move and I hope it all works out well for you.
ReplyDeleteHave downsized once 7 yrs. ago. Presently, am planning on changing the way one would usually furnish a living room by getting rid of furniture (such as a formal dining table) I don't use any longer for family gatherings or parties - and having only a couple of lovely wing chairs with tables and lots of plants w/ shelves of books to keep me from having to keep up w/ housekeeping as much as I have. It does make me feel positive with regard to living independently alone. I hope your plans all go well and look forward to reading about your "adventure." From the base of the mini-mountain in Maine.
ReplyDeleteI have spent the last few years going through my parents' belongings and finding new homes for them but really should start on my own things.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your new venture and I hope you actually do continue to blog even if only occasionally.
I hope it goes smoothly.
ReplyDeleteYes! Doing it before you must is a good plan. And making a new nest can be exciting....I haven't done it in more than 10 years, but there was a bit of fun in it!! So relax and enjoy it.
ReplyDeletePost when you can. I don't comment often, but look at your photos daily and always am pleased that I have....a source of enjoyment!