Life As A House

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself."
Maya Angelou

As I was sorting through boxes before we move, I found my favorite all time childhood book, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. This is the story of a Little House built with much love, by a man for his family. He has a dream for the House, that she would never be sold as a mere possession, but would stand for generations to come.

The Little House sees the bright lights of the city off in the distance and longs to know what life is like there. As the city expands, before long, roads, big homes, apartment buildings, and stores surround the Little House. Her family moves out and she finds herself alone in the middle of the city, where the artificial lights are so bright that the Little House can no longer see the sun or the moon. She often dreams of "the field of daisies and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight." Eventually, a woman recognizes her and whisks her back to where she belongs and restores the Little House into a home.

How many of us have lives like the Little House? We grow up longing to know what life is like "out there" only to dream of coming home in the end. It's not ironic that this was my favorite book even though I was too young to understand the deeper meaning and bigger storyline. I grew up in a small town, always curious to see other places. I've lived in five states, a dozen towns or cities and have had more than twenty addresses (including five in Bountiful!).

Like the Little House, Jeff and I have come full circle. Our purpose for this house is to build a home with love for our family, foster an appreciation for the simple things in life, and to create a happy ending to our story.