There is a place, hidden deep within the recesses of my soul that houses my future. This picturesque scene is not realistic, not practical, and highly improbable...but it holds the essence of me. Hidden in this little valley between the crevices of what is and what could be lies a soft yellow house with a white porch surrounded by green grass and fields as far as the eye can see.
There isn't anything grand about this house. It is modest and unassuming. It would not make a person itching for money or for being the "next big thing" happy, but it is filled with love, care, and hope. It is warm and inviting and always open as a sanctuary to those who seek it. The swingset in the front yard suggests youth and children and days lost in the chaos of growing up. In adulthood, we lose the innocence, creativity, and passions of childhood. In this, we lose the essence of who we were and no longer know where we are going. There is a treehouse in a strong oak in the front yard and a little boy running around with his friends, a giant smile on his face. A little girl in a ponytail greets you as you walk in the front door, eager to show you her newest game of pretend. An idea that seems novel now that reality has set in. An air of imagination flows throughout the home and although it is far from perfect, there is forgiveness etched in every mistake that builds character and compassion. There is a traditional layout that respects the generations passed and gives the children a hint of the life they could've had before greed and the need of constant bombardment from technology overruled life. A simpler, more imaginative day. The kitchen is bright and full of grace and simple charm that old farmhouses have and the dutch door leading out back is half open allowing the warm summer breeze to sweeten the house. There is a calm kind of appeal to the whole place, a wonderful and vibrant aura that can neither be physically touched nor in any way altered. There is peace and unyielding love. Nothing hurts here that cannot be fixed. Nothing dies here that cannot be eternally alive again through faith--not necessarily in this life as much as the next. Nothing can intrude on the solace and sanctuary provided by this home, so nicely tucked away from the world. My husband. Our children. This life that can never be, but I catch myself dreaming is real.
Reality sets in. I cannot guarantee the people I love will never be hurt. Apart from their faith in God, I cannot ensure eternity unless they accept Christ themselves. I cannot provide constant solace and sanctuary until I have achieved my own inner peace. But I can try to make the lives of those around me better in little ways. I am far from perfect. This ideal future doesn't exist. It will be messy. There will be sweat and blood and tears. That's life. Forgive. Live. Love. It sounds simple, but we so often forget to appreciate individual moments when we race to a future that cannot come into light until the present has passed. And once it's gone, it isn't coming back. I love my life. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my boyfriend. I love who I am. I am ready to embrace my future by appreciating and reveling in my present.
Take time to "smell the roses", so to speak.
~Sayuri~
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