In this house
In this house, there’s so much warmth, regrets have stopped dropping by. The tree is lit, a bunny rests underneath, and two dogs snuggle with the love of my life. My parents’ hearts are slightly weak from age, and though I worry, all is well for now. They come over often, and I visit them too, to a home where childhood was once mine.
In this house, the windows welcome plenty of light, they keep the nightmares at bay. After dark, stars twinkle overhead, and Christmas lights dance around the gates. In the mornings, the air smells of fresh coffee, while on Sundays, the crisp scent of laundry. Children sing carols every night, and though off-key, we give them ten or twenty.
In this house, there are broken things too, like the bathroom lock and the left half of an electric stove. There’s a leaky faucet, a busted electrical socket, and a medium-sized hole in the screen door. And though annoying, in the grand scheme of things, these are problems I know are worth having. So I let them exist and call them charming, and someday I’ll remember them fondly.
In this house, there are traces of hay and dog hair everywhere, they keep us on our toes. On the floor, on the sofa, on the bed, and especially on all of our black clothes. The vacuum, broom, and lint roller get used here twice a day. But it’s work we’d happily bear for our little creatures whose furs have started turning gray.
Outside and on the screens, they say humanity is doomed and the world is crumbling. And though that’s true and felt through bills, I count my own stars lucky. For in this house, there is safety and laughter, fear has stopped coming by. And everyone loves you so wholly here, please soften and take your time.
This piece brought me so much joy 🥲thank you!
Wishing you peace ✌️