Day 28 - Letting Go of "Place"

It is space on earth that is made holy, not because of the place itself but because of what God does for humans in that place. ~James F. White

I’ve moved a lot in my life. In 1991, around Christmas time, I remember calculating that our family had lived in our Finley Street house for 2 ½ years. At 31, it was a record for me! It was the longest I had lived consecutively in any one house. We lived at Finley Street for a total of almost 8 years! It is still a record. The other places that come close to that amount of time are Divisadero for 6 ½ years and Sunnybrook for 4 years. We moved a year and a half ago to Alexandria Drive. As you can see, my life time-line is described by the name of the street on which our family lived during that particular time. So, when the family is discussing when something happened, someone inevitably says something like, “That was when we were at Sunnybrook” and it puts it all in context.Moving from one house to another, whether across the world or across town, forces you to change perspective and habits. Moving also implies you are (often) changing other things too, like friends, doctors, hairdressers, stores, etc.   The farther you move, the more drastic the change can be with regard to these things. We all know the pain of having to make new friends due to a move, but I want to focus here on the change of place.There is a symbiotic relationship between the built environment (place) and the people that build and inhabit the place. There is a sense in which what we build (or organize or decorate) is a reflection of who we are. Architects are known for their design. Interior designers have a particular style. And we each put our particular “fingerprint” on the places we work and live. You can learn a lot about me by seeing how I organize and decorate my space…whether it’s my office or my kitchen. My daughter and I can cook in each other’s kitchens because we think similarly about where we put things like knives and pans.The opposite is also true. Our space can inform who we are and affect who we become. There are studies that show how people who live in poverty in ugly, run-down housing are more likely to stay in poverty than those are given a chance to live in housing that has a beautiful design. Our space affects our soul.So, we moved just recently from a corner 1920’s vintage apartment in San Francisco with expansive windows, filled with light and amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz to a small, 1970’s vintage tract home with five small windows that take in the front or back yard. The sense of space changed dramatically and affected my soul. I’ve been struggling to make sense of why it’s been hard to embrace the move, and I think the space/soul dynamic is part of the issue. We may never have another place with a view of San Francisco Bay, so how do I “ensoul” this new little, darker space? If there is a symbiotic relationship, what can I do to make it more soul-enriching? Certainly painting, updating, furniture arrangement and enhancing the view to the yard can put personal touches that bring life to my soul. I am on a journey towards creating a welcoming and creative space as much as is possible.Being in a smaller, rather less impressive space has also informed my soul in significant ways. As I have embraced the smallness, it has been a lesson in the downward journey of Christ. I have wrestled with the “up and to the right” mentality of our culture as contrasted with the humble journey of Jesus from King of the Universe to human poverty and ultimately to death. He went from expansive to small…from power and position to insignificance. If I claim to be a Christ-follower, it would make sense that part of my life journey would include some kind of downward, humbling movement.Inasmuch as I will make changes to this little cottage which will affect my physical environment; if I allow it to do so, perhaps this tiny, dark house will also be instrumental in transforming my soul and leading me into a greater humility. Further, as God works in me in this space, and as God brings loving human interaction into this space in the form of family and friends, God’s grace will fill the nooks and crannies, beautifying the space as with fragrant lilies.So, I’m letting go of the light-filled, grace-filled flat at Divisadero and embracing the new, transformational vision of the cozy cottage on Alexandria.