From Coveting To Creating

So did you notice that huge (amazing/mysterious/awesome)house above?

And check out this one:



Where I live, those kinds of houses are everywhere. E-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. And ohhh, the temptations, the thoughts which swirl 'round inside my head when I drive past them:

"Ohhhhh! I want it. I want it bad."
"I could be so happy in that house."
"I neeeeeeed a house like that."

You know.

But thankfully, the older and wiser I become--although those above thoughts still do zip into my head--these thoughts also pop into my brain:

"Wow. What it must cost to heat that place!"
"Wow. What stamina it must require to clean that place."
"Wow. The repairs on that house--and all that yard work--would take everything we've got. Our whole souls, practically."

Trust me--I'm grateful for those thoughts, for they balance the initial, goosebumpy, coveting ones. And oh, how one needs balance and wisdom when one is talking houses, for houses are such a huge, time-and-money-consuming part of our lives.

But rather than just slapping my hand and saying, "No, Debra. Mustn't want what you cannot have. Mustn't crave that," I try to keep it all at a playful level. A dreamy, just-imagine-the-fun-parts level. How would I decorate the many rooms inside that huge house? How would I feel while living there? How would I make my guests feel comfortable? What kinds of meals would I cook in the kitchen? What kinds of games or activities would we do there?"

I like to imagine all that, and then, bring the ideas back to Earth--and back to my own house. Downsized, ok, but still in a creative mode. How many of those ideas could I apply to my own (small, simple) house? How can I richly decorate today, even without money? How can I think differently about my own space? My own yard?

The game, the dreams, become more enjoyable that way--and within reach. To go from coveting to creating is, as Martha would say, a Good Thing.