Rough surfaces of worn off finish replace what used to be a glossy luster. The chains are starting to show signs of rust around the edges. Tiny spider webs have multiplied in the corners. But this front porch swing is still one of my favorite places in the world. That weeping cherry tree was tiny when we moved here in August of 2000, now it completely blocks the view to the road from where I sit. I love the shade that keeps this spot ten degrees cooler. And I love feeling like I'm alone. Of course it's not really private at all. I am sitting in my front yard and I know my next door neighbor Tony is right behind me tending to his banana trees.
Tony's trees are from Puerto Rico, his homeland. Every Fall when the weather turns cool he bundles them in burlap and puts them in the basement. Every Spring, after the last frost, he brings them back out again and plants them in the sun. They are a few inches bigger than last year. Sometimes I come out and work in the yard just because Tony is working in his. Everybody loves that guy. Tony is the one who always has some new family or friends living with him. A few months ago our across-the-street neighbor from Columbia (the country, not CTown) lost his job. Tony helped him make the house payment for several months but the house got repossessed anyway and they moved out while I was in Africa. I wish I had been here to help.
The guy behind us-he's new since I left for school, and I don't know his name-always mows our back yard. I can't figure out if he really likes to mow or if he's just a nice guy. He mows it like three times a week though, so he's probably OCD and can't stand things to be uneven. He never mows the Tobin's yard, which seems strange since he can actually see more of their yard than ours from his back deck. The Tobin's are the only neighbors who have lived here longer than we have. She teaches with my mom at Zion and both of their girls went to school there. I remember when the girls were still in middle school and they would have slumber parties and try to roll our yard. It usually only took about five minutes to clean up the toilet paper.
Good memories from this front porch swing. I love having my quiet time here; there's something about being outside in the world God created, it's easier to be with him. I've discovered amazing things about him from this very spot at sunrise, midday and after the stars have taken over the sky. Almost breaks my heart to see this house go. Almost.
This house is the longest my family has lived anywhere. By the time my parents move out at the end of the month it will have been almost exactly ten years. To most people in Columbia, TN that seems like nothing. But I've moved 18 times so it matters to me. If I were to call any place on this earth home, this would be it. Funny thing about home though, it moves with you. All the memories from here will come with me after the last box is packed in the truck and the keys have been handed over to the new owners. I haven't just lived here, I've lived here. The experiences we truly live come with us, they become part of us. And I've become who I am because of the experiences and the people of this place, because of the times on this front porch swing.
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