Dear Childhood Home

Dear Childhood Home,
 
For 34 years, I called you home. Within your walls, memories were made:
 
baking cookies, brownies, pizzelles, and bread in the kitchen, family dinners and birthday celebrations around the dining room table, watching TV in the living room, helping mom grade papers on the sofa, opening presents underneath the Christmas tree, my brother and I throwing toys down the laundry chute, singing and playing instruments (and Dad playing the piano every Sunday morning to wake us up), playing Oregon Trail on the computer, setting up trains in the basement, and spending time just hanging out with family, friends, and neighbors…
 
Within your walls, I felt safe.  
 
Within your walls, my family grew closer.
 
Within your walls, love was found.  
 
And for that, I will forever be thankful.
 
Now, it is time to move on.
 
Now, it is time for another family to call you their home.
 
Now, it is time for someone else to make lasting memories inside your walls.
 
I never thought it would be so hard to say goodbye.  
 
I never thought I would grieve a house, but you aren’t just a house. You are a home full of memories.
 
Memories of people I love.
 
Memories of people I miss.
 
Memories of my family.
 
Even though it's time for us to leave, you gave my family these memories to take with us to our next home. 

Thank you for this gift. Thank you for being such a wonderful home. I hope this new family will also find joy and love within your walls. 
 
                                                            Love,
                                                            Julie

P.S. The great thing about memories is that you can create them anywhere you go. I look forward to visiting my family and making new memories along the way.