Selling His Childhood

My mother in law passed away in February after a long illness, and since then we have been taking care of all the little details to close out her estate.

The final thing to do was to sell her home.  She hadn't lived there since 2010, when we had to move her out because she couldn't take care of herself anymore.  Rather than sell it at that time, we rented the house to provide her with a steady stream of income.

Last Monday my husband signed the closing papers on the sale.  When he got home, I expected him to be happy that this last task was finally done.  But he looked at me sadly and said, "I feel like I just sold my childhood".

Of course....why didn't I realize this sooner?  

This was the place my husband came home to when he was born 47 years ago.  There was nothing fancy about it, but it was a good, sturdy little house.  My mother in law took immaculate care of it, and with great pride she paid it off before she retired.

He spent his entire childhood there - walking to school, only a few blocks away.  Playing kick the can out front, and hide and go seek in the huge backyard.  Sneaking out of his bedroom window during high school.  Working on his Camaro in the driveway.

Until he left for college, my husband had never lived anywhere else.  Once we graduated and got married, we still lived close by, and there were countless birthday parties, holidays and family celebrations there.  This house holds thousands of memories.

It's always hard to sell a home and move on, but when that home has been part of your life for 47 years, it's especially difficult.  Especially when that place is the last physical string tying you to your parents.

I hugged him and told him that he did not sell his childhood.  He may have sold the walls that he grew up in, but the memories will never be gone.  The playing, the working, the growing there - will always live on in his heart and mind.

The house was sold to a young family with three children.  I like to think that my husband's old home is smiling, happy to have a new family living inside, ready to start fresh and make more memories.

When he feels ready, I'm sure we will drive by, just to check on it.  And then we'll continue on our way, making new memories.  But we'll never forget the old.