An Old House Is Like A Beauty Queen That's Just Outside Of Her Prime
remember standing on a cold, hard, wooden floor of memories. The house was about fifty years old, and reminded me of a ravishing beauty queen well beyond her prime. Only, youth could be restored to this magnificent model. I saw the twinkle in her eye. The weight of the sledge hammer was pure power in my hands. I watched and felt the powder explode through the air with every swing.
Sheet rock covered my bare arms and turned my black hair as gray as this sweet old home felt. The process to remodel this home would not be a single project, but it would begin with this wall. The neglect stirred emotions of sympathy in me. It would be a second chance for the house, and a timid first step for me and my new husband. I learned more than I knew there was to know about sheet rock.
There were unexpected studs and electric wires hiding mischievously in surprising places. Throughout the process, I learned that my body was also hiding muscles in strange spots. The pain was excruciating. I wondered quietly if it was also painful for the house. My thought giggled when I added, “an amputation WOULD hurt more than sore muscles.” It sounds simple to use a sledge hammer to knock down a single, unwanted wall. It’s not!
I learned why safety equipment is not just a feeble suggestion. I learned why it’s important to have all of your supplies for a job before you begin! I learned what the bones of a house look like. I learned what hard physical labor felt like for the first time in my young life. I also felt myself falling more deeply in love with every bead of sweat that plopped on that scratched up floor. I swelled with pride when we were finally finished. Then I turned circles on the spot where that wall used to be, imagining our new huge master bedroom adorned in beautiful detail. I imagined our new memories unfolding and mingling and dancing and making friends.