Memories

Yesterday I said goodbye to my childhood home. First of all, I do realize that I'm lucky to have had full access to my childhood home (and its ample storage space!) all of these years...that's not something every thirty-something adult has. Second of all, I am thrilled for my dad and his move. I am excited for him to realize his dream, and I'm excited to have a beautiful new place to visit. Despite all of this (or perhaps because of all of this) saying goodbye was bittersweet.

We said goodbye to the place where we made so many memories...the place where we invented and spent many an hour playing "pull-down-your-pants" tag (sorry Leslie and Jamie!)...the place where we developed our Barbie soap operas (again, sorry Leslie and Jamie!)...the place where my sister lovingly and accidentally stabbed me in the foot with scissors (well, Jamie, you did!)...the place where we loved on our two terriers Buddy and Mac...the place where we got all dolled up for proms and homecomings...the place where we celebrated graduations, birthdays, and holidays...the place where I watched my sister say I do...the place where we said goodbye to Mom...the place we brought Henry to visit...and the place that has always been home. 

Although it's hard saying goodbye to a place that has been such an important place in our lives, we don't have to say goodbye to the memories. We will always have the stories to share, some of them with pictures to back it up (and others, thankfully, for which no pictures exist!) Sure, our memories of the physical space may fade, but our memories of the love that was shared never will.