Our Home, Seven Years Later

The perfect storm came. Its waves flooded our lives and washed away the love that once held us so close together. That love was the cement; we were the bricks... together we shared holidays and birthdays, laughter and tears. I thought that we were waterproof. We never could have fathomed that the winds of change would come and knock us down, scattering us so far from each other.

We used to go places together. We each took on a special role that no one else could duplicate. We used to laugh together, play together, discover life together. Why did we stop eating together? Why did we let the dining room table survive the flood, only to be cluttered with junk? We no longer gather around it's water marked legs for meals or conversation. We used to play a game; we called it "Pass the Bowls." Or don't  you remember?

"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all." There was a time when we lived by that. There was a time before internet and iphones, when road trips required real patience and we didn't "plug up" our ears for our own solace. We didn't need cable- we would dance or skate on carpet. We spent time together, intentionally. Free fun was the best fun. Do you remember our family game nights?

We asked questions once. When everything came crashing down, that tiny sugar shack made us face each other. Crowded in a mirror, the four of us at dawn, we saw each of our reflections and we watched the masks come off as reality was dealt with. Walking down the driveway, an old dirt trail made us get along. It took a team to rebuild our house... But have we rebuilt our home yet? Home is where the heart is, and I fear our hearts lay lifeless now.

Is it too late for resurrection? Fourteen of us crowded in a restaurant closing at three... Christmas gifts unwrapped in a parking lot with no tree. Meals Ready to Eat alone on Christmas morning... What happened to the Santa Clause who came riding down the street in a fire truck with flashing lights for the whole neighborhood to see? Block parties became hollow hearts as words were left unspoken. A family that had everything... so much promise... is now broken.

But I know there must be more than this... We must remember how it was, spending time and taking time to remind what each is worth. I can't believe the bonds are gone, they're just buried by the years. All added up and piled along the streets like molded rubble. Can we uncover the treasure we once held so dear? If I told you that I love you, would you believe it? Would you say it back to me again?