Life In Transition

We humans always seem to be moving on or out or up or down. Life is always in flux, even as we age, in preparation for that final move on. It seems that God or circumstance or random chance forces us to get up and get out. Like Cain, God makes us wanderers upon the earth, though hopefully, not for the same reasons.

I have spent the last 10 months in befuddlement, not sure what to do since my parental care duties came to an abrupt end. I have also been overwhelmed with maintenance issues in my parents house. As much as I like the property it sits on, I wish the house would just collapse so that I could build something more suitable on the property. I do not think that will happen and I really do not want to spend all my time mowing lawn, moving snow and fixing sagging infrastructure.

With that in mind, last week I ventured over to my other condo property on the south side. It's a two story townhouse with attached garage. I went inside and it was as if time had stood still for the last six years. Everything was as I had left it when my parent's lives began to fall apart in the spring of 2011. There were even two 2011 calendars on different walls. There were still cans and jars of stuff in the fridge and in the pantry. No biology experiments, but definitely an archaeological study. The only thing that I really had done to the place in the last six years was to change the furnace filter a few times.

The place has minor dust build up and many cobwebs, but otherwise it seems beautiful and reasonably new. It felt like home. After about ten minutes of being there, I said, "Lord, this is where I want to be". So I began cleaning and straightening up things. I dumped the fridge contents, though I was tempted to try the six year old can of Coors Light that I found. I tested the appliances. The stove worked. The microwave worked. The dishwasher worked. But other things did not work.

The three toilets had not been flushed in six years. They will need some work. The hot water heater is out. I hope it's only a thermocouple issue. The garbage disposal needs something, maybe replaced. The motor will not budge, even with the manual crank. The kitchen faucet needs something too. When I flip the handle, water comes out the sprayer nozzle. Something is not right.

But even with all these repairs facing me, I believe I want to live here. They are minor issues that are easily resolved and not costly. I can live here and begin preparing my parent's place for sale. It will be like going to work every day. I vaguely remember how to do that. Once that's done, I can decide if I want to move again or stay in the townhouse or whatever.

I am no longer a young man. Downsizing will be a good thing for me. Please pray for my progress. Maybe my last home should be a single story condo? The stairs in the townhouse can wear an old guy out. It will be worse when I'm 70 if I live that long.