Tour of Homes

Or as our friend called it the day after, “The Hyde Park Tour of Covetousness”.  Lots of people walked through the 10 or so best looking and most beautiful homes in the neighborhood next to our new place. (didn’t we tell you that we moved to Squier Park? no?? oops.)

I had a sick wife and a sick 2 year old, so that wasn’t going to happen for the Janii this year.  But thinking about it the past two days has made me realize that I am less excited about doing it in the future.  I love old homes, and I love spaces that make it easier to be myself as a human.  The weirdest thing about the tour of homes is that the people who live in the houses aren’t even there when you are on the tour.  The very thing that makes that building a home is missing.

I’ve been thinking about home ownership. I’ve been thinking about what it would mean to own a home in the city.  To be a homeowner in midtown.  About what it means to buy your first home at 30.  Or after 30.

I helped our friends remodel a 4600 square foot house this summer. And after we moved them in on Saturday morning my friend Josh was standing with me when Kevin thanked us for all the hours we gave to the house.  And Josh didn’t hesitate when he said, “I didn’t give my hours to the house, I gave my hours to you.” That’s really how we both feel about it.  People are more important than things, even their homes.

A house isn’t a home without a family in it.  It’s the people in these spaces that make them beautiful.  I would rather live in a dump with a happy heart than a mansion with a empty soul.