Thursday, December 31, 2009

Home

This word is loaded with so many meanings and emotions. Home. It begins as the place where your parents live, the place where you grew up. Home often gets mixed up with house, a concept we figure out as young adults. Then we grow up and get a place of our own or a place with our significant other and this becomes home. It is at this point that some figure out that the home of their childhood was far from being a home and some figure out that it was indeed an oasis, a home and always will be. We get busy living life and possibly adding children to our home and suddenly home has another new dimension for us. We travel to our parents' and still find that safe anchor, that peace, that protection that we are loved no matter what in that space. We hope that we create that feeling for our own children. But life keeps moving on. We lose our parents or they lose their minds, and we lose that physical home. Our children move off to start their own lives and our homes change in appearance, energy and sound.

So what is this word "home" and why is it so important to us? As I have hinted at before, it is our oasis, our shelter, our safe haven, our place to be who we are and still be loved and accepted. As this decade ends and a new one begins, my home will be changing. I will most likely (hopefully) see both of my children strike out on their own and form their own homes. I could lose a parent or both of my parents in this decade, and that home would be forever changed. So does this rock my world, am I scared? No, because I have finally found another home. It is within myself. I am happy. I am content. I am at peace with who I am. I love myself. So no matter what happens in my other homes, I am home with me. But I would be sorely amiss if I didn't mention another huge factor in my contentment. I am at home with my husband. He is my rock, he is my safe haven, he is my place of refuge, as I am his. And together, we can weather the changes ahead.

As you think of this decade to come, where is your safe haven? your home?

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Salty Sheep

If you ever find yourself on the Crystal Coast in North Carolina, and you are in need/want of some yarn, head over to Swansboro. There on Church street you will find The Salty Sheep tucked in the corner of a little shopping area. This store is small, but exudes charm. I found what I needed in an old iron crib. It was Dream in Color yarn. I had never heard of this yarn but the name intrigued me, but it was the colors that drew me. Such vivid colors I hadn't seen in such soft yarn. This yarn is perfect for the project I have in mind. It was well worth the trip over the bridge and the time away from the beach!

Tomorrow vacation is over. We go back to the land and we were blessed with a wonderful going away present this evening. The most beautiful sunset ever seen. Thanks be.

Monday, December 28, 2009

What's up with the title?

So, the title? Where did it come from? Well, I am taking it from the name of the house in which I sit at this very moment. Our friends had a nice little beach house on Emerald Isle. They tore it down (it really was getting old) and built this masterpiece. They named it "Just Because". I don't know the story behind the name for them, but is resonated with me. This house is luxurious. It has three floors, two master bedrooms, three other bedrooms, a heated pool, and top-notch everything. You feel like a princess as you walk through the home. They didn't have to build this, but they did, just because. Because they could. Isn't that reason enough for some things. I read their guest book and they have already in the first six months of being open, brought so much joy to others' lives. People write beautiful words of thanks in the book, the happiness of their experience jumps off the page. And so my friends, by building this house- just because, have brought more joy and hope into this world. Okay, I know a bit much, but how often do we choose to do something just because we can, that will bring others joy?

The name I chose, seems apropos. I am writing just because I can and hopefully will bring some joy into this world in the process. I know it will bring joy into my life, just as this house has brought joy into my friends' lives. Plus, the beach is my happy place. I love coming here and hearing the ocean and seeing the seagulls and pelicans. So each time I log into this blog, I will be returning in my mind to a happy place and what a place to write from.

What can you do today, just because, that will bring joy into this world?

Firsts

Firsts are fraught with anxiety. Your first kiss, will you miss, will you suck at it, will you bump noses? Your first cake, will it fall, will taste horrible? And on and on. So it is with writing. Your first sentence is the most difficult one. Many writers say that they just begin writing in the middle of the story and go back at the end to write the beginning. Well, as a blogger, you can't really do that. So here I am writing my first post. Now, to be perfectly honest, this is not my first EVER blog post. I have started 4 blogs. Yes, FOUR!! The first blog, KaKi's Knitting Basket, was quite a success. I wrote on that blog for several years and learned about myself as a writer and a knitter. The second blog was a secret blog, where I could write without anyone knowing. It didn't work out too well. The other 2 never really got off the ground. I think I wrote one post each, and that was it. I have learned from this experience, that I love having readers. I enjoy the feedback. So I decided to try again. 2010 is a year of new beginnings for my family. There is a major career move that is new, exciting and scary. My oldest will be leaving home for college in 2010, which is exciting and scary. So I think 2010 is a good time to return to the blogging world. I feel the need to express the thoughts and feelings that will be sure to come in the next months. So, sit back and enjoy. I hope you can find some laughs, ideas, and things to think about here.