avatarChetna Jai

Summary

The author recounts a transformative journey of house-hunting that led to finding a home where the beauty of sunrises and sunsets provided a profound connection and a new lease on life.

Abstract

The narrative describes the author's intense search for the perfect home, initially driven by a detailed checklist of desired features. After viewing numerous houses and facing disappointment, a late-night listing in the Tuscany area captivated the author with its cathedral ceilings and breathtaking views. The house not only met all the criteria but also offered daily sunrises and sunsets that became the highlight of living there. Eventually, the author moved again, this time with a simpler approach, valuing the experience of nature's beauty over material aspects. A particularly moving encounter with a vibrant sunrise on a morning drive reinforced the author's appreciation for life's intangible gifts, suggesting a divine presence and a sense of never being alone.

Opinions

  • The author initially held a strong belief in finding a home that matched a long list of specific features, indicating a sense of entitlement and a desire for perfection.
  • There is an opinion that a home's true value comes from its ability to provide a connection with nature and spiritual experiences, rather than just material comforts.
  • The author expresses that the process of house-hunting can be stressful and obsessive, but also that it can lead to unexpected and life-changing discoveries.
  • The article conveys a transformative perspective on what constitutes a home, emphasizing the importance of emotional resonance and personal growth over mere physical attributes.
  • The author seems to suggest that meaningful experiences, such as witnessing a beautiful sunrise, can have a profound impact, akin to a divine embrace or a significant emotional event.

The Sunrise That Gave Me a New Life

The story of house-hunting and a perfect sunrise

Photo by the Author

Five years ago, I found myself with a long list of must-haves while embarking on a house-hunting expedition, to a point where it became an obsession.

I had an excel sheet drawn up with potential contenders. Columns dictating square footage, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, wooden flooring, open floor plan, granite countertops, large deck, high cathedral ceilings, close to a playground…, the list went on. We saw forty plus houses that summer. It was a feat, dragging my 9-month-old son 3–4 times/week to viewings all across the city.

I found myself entitled, thinking I deserved it. I was determined to have a big house, my dream home. But, most of all, I wanted a south-facing backyard with a view.

I remember feeling stressed and disappointed each time we walked into a house and then walked out, deleting it from the sheet — another one bites the dust.

The real estate agent reassured us each time: If it doesn’t speak to you, we’ll keep looking.

Sunrise. Photo by the Author

House-hunting ended at Tuscany as I found the sun

After house number thirty or so, I was ready to throw in the towel since we had sold our house and time wasn’t on our side. We were getting desperate, and desperate times called for desperate measures. We had to settle.

Late one night, while we were looking at MLS listings knowing we needed to jump in and help or else we’d end up in-between houses, our agent sent us a listing. We looked at the pictures, and the view left us wanting. We booked a viewing the next day. It was in an area called Tuscany, more dreamy than Coventry, Dalhousie, or Hamptons.

I’ll never forget the moment we stepped into the house. Looking up, were the cathedral ceilings I craved. Another few steps and the view came in sight. It was breath-taking — we didn’t need convincing. Under normal circumstances, we don’t jump into such a big decision without careful thought and consideration.

They weren’t extraordinary circumstances either, but the house spoke to us, we had found the one, and it checked every box on the wish-list.

We lived there for three and a half years. Wonderful years. The pièce de résistance were the daily sunrises at the front of the house, and the sunsets at the back.

What was it about sunrise and sunset that consumed me? It wasn’t until four and a half years later that I got my answer.

Sunset. Photo by Author

When the sun rose for me

It was only natural that I looked for something familiar when moving again. Though, this time was different. My excel days were gone. The single must-have was the openness with lots of trees.

A house is a house, but a home can be any place.

And for that reason, everywhere I go now, I Iike to take a little something with me — the sunrises and sunsets. I don’t have the same view I had before, but some days I’m fortunate enough to see the rising sun on my drive in the mornings.

One faithful day, I found myself blessed.

I had dropped the kids to school and was making my way back. One street before my house was a turn that went down a hill. As soon as you start the descent, the road opens to the horizon as far as the eyes can touch.

That faithful day, I saw the sun rising. It was as if time stood still and I watched the sky as it unfolded with a kaleidoscope of yellow, orange, pink, and red, with a hint of blue and purple. I was in the car driving, but I wasn’t in the car driving.

It was me and the rays. The warmth from the colors felt like the best hug ever. As if God was stretching his arms to hug me. It wasn’t the kind to give you goosebumps all over but rather an embrace that warms you up from the inside. The colors of the horizon enveloping me like fingers intertwining when holding hands.

The experience was out of this world. Hard to explain. Sometimes the words don’t justify the feeling, the emotion. It was a short stretch of road, and mere seconds felt like minutes.

I was still, savoring the moment, experiencing it fully, not knowing, but understanding it to be a higher power in my presence, bringing me to tears and overwhelming me with a sea of love. It was a jolt to my heart, giving it new life.

Experiences like these are far and few. When they do happen, I am convinced that someone is there looking after me, reminding me I am never alone.

Thank you for reading.

If you are interested to read more of my writings, you may read the following one published in The Masterpiece.

Life
Self
Love
The Masterpiece
Self-awareness
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