To the People Who Will Move In To My Childhood Home,
I have lived in my childhood home for 16 years. They say “home is where the heart is,” or “it’s a new adventure,” but they fail to mention how painful it is to no longer live in the place that once held your heart. There was absolutely no better feeling than coming home after a long semester of college, or even a long day of work and just lying down in my own bed. Having a place to call home grants someone a sense of serenity and you are so very lucky to now call this house your home.
I hope you have lots of kids, and if you don’t, I hope you plan on having some. I hope your kids play basketball on the driveway or wiffle ball in the front yard. Don’t get upset if you end up with some broken windows -- we had five. I hope they get overly competitive and try at a game in which the outcome means absolutely nothing. Again, don’t worry -- the neighbors are used to the bickering.
There’s a really big tree in the backyard. My mom called it the tree of life because it looks like the tree from the Lion King. In the summer, it’s a great place for shade, a bonfire or a picnic. However, in the fall, it’s a pain to rake all of the leaves. Make the kids do it -- it builds character. Then take cheesy pictures of them playing in the leaves because I can guarantee that’s what they were doing most of the time anyway.
In the winter, after the driveway is shoveled, you are going to end up with two heaps of snow on each side. Let them have a snowball fight using the mounds of snow as their bases, and if you’re feeling generous, have hot cocoa ready for when they come back inside.
The closets in all three rooms are identical. Use the white crown along the edges to mark their height throughout the years. It’s cool for you to see how fast they grow up, and also fun for them because it’s an excuse to write on the walls. If your kids ever get mad at you and decide to lock you out of their room, just press down on the handle really hard and it will unlock itself. This trick didn’t take us long to figure out.
Take advantage of the beautiful fireplace your new home has. There was nothing better than spending nights roasting marshmallows and playing games with family by the fire.
I write this letter with hopes that you love this house as much as I do. Those walls have seen my entire life. They saw the day we brought the triplets home from the hospital, their first steps. They witnessed the first time I attempted to play my trumpet, while the kids were learning to throw a baseball. They’ve protected me through the hardships in my life; my parent’s divorce, my first broken heart, my uncle’s death. But they’ve also seen some of the happiest moments: graduations, movie nights, late night shenanigans with my siblings, college acceptances and so much more. They’ve met the people that mean the most to me, but they’ve also seen the friends and family that have come and gone over the years.
I move out of my childhood home in less than a week. It’s a place filled with memories that I’ll keep for the rest of my life.
“I’m not afraid of moving on or letting go, it’s just so hard to say goodbye to what I know” -- This Time, Lea Michele
As my family and I move on to the next chapter of our lives, I can only hope that this house blesses you in the way it has blessed us. While it is no longer the place we call home, the memories will forever be in our hearts.
Love,
The Kamholz Family
