Dream House: Why It’s Never Pointless to Dream
“All those who wander are not lost, and all those who create a home are not domesticated.” -Goal Recon
A long time ago, in Knoxville TN, I somehow developed the urge to view million dollar houses. And who hasn’t occasionally? It’s an understandable desire to imagine yourself living in luxury beyond current means; it nurtures the dreaming process, lends interior design ideas, and gives a sense of how other lifestyles can be.
Not to mention confounding Realtors when someone who looks 23 shows up for a viewing driving an 05 Mazda 3 they named Kato.
I found one house that was my kind of awesome: modern Japanese style, Zen garden atrium, fossil stone lap pool, and an astrology tower with a telescope for stargazing. It even had a traditional rain chain hanging from the roof that created a mini waterfall every time it rained. :O
The living room had huge glass windows, and there was an entrance hallway with glass walls as if it were a gallery for viewing sunlight. The landscaping was feng shui serene with a concrete pathway that wrapped around the entire house; perfect for pacing and contemplating world domination strategies. And phone conversations. If I ever talked on the phone.
Asking price was around $800k. ish. It was built by a surgeon (Dr. Strange?) who had planned to make it a martial arts studio. A ‘hidden jewel in the heart of West Knoxville” is how Zillow described it. And it was; surrounded by peaceful woods from an Emerson passage.
I never forgot that house. It made an impression on me.
So you can imagine my surprise when, several years later, I caught a glimpse of a house that looked stunningly similar as I drove past it. I doubled back to make sure I hadn’t imagined it.
It was a smaller, more efficient version of the $800k Japanese dream home. Apart from size, it looked just like it; same roof, style, windows, tiered landscaping on the side; even the brick was the same color.
And it was just up the street from Frankie’s, my gym at the time. I will not confirm or deny that fact being the reason I was looking in this location in the first place.
It was the neatest house. It had a concrete porch that ran the length of it and along the back, a narrow gravel path (ie, archery lane), sleek interior, 2 car garage, and a separate living space downstairs with it’s own entrance (ie, air hockey game room). It had a sunroom perfect for an office to run a business out of, and the backyard sloped upward, giving a great spot at the top for Boomsday (I love fireworks).
Well, I’m making an offer on it. I haven’t told my family yet, so they might be reading this right now. I’ve gone through 3 major real estate disasters over the years before finding this place, including having 2 mortgages for 7 months, a condo remodeling nightmare, a renting fiasco, and a friend who taught me the difference between generosity and enabling.
Had I found this house years ago, I wouldn’t have been ready for it. The amazing part is that I don’t feel anxious, excited, or overly attached to it at this point; I feel blessed and happy as I wait to hear back. It is a feeling I want to savor, because it took a lot of work, frustration, and unplanned conflicts to be in the position and mindset I am about it now.
The broader points I want to share with everyone are these:
- No experience is wasted. Circumstances and hardships that seem like a grand waste of time and energy are in fact filling in the gaps they need to in preparation for something greater to present itself.
2. It’s never pointless to dream. Dreaming is the first step to thoughts becoming reality. Timing is as much a part of life as opportunity, so plant the seeds for the life you’ve always dreamed about. Have faith and patience as you watch them grow.
-Julie, goalrecon.bigcartel.com
P.S. I bought the house!!!!
