It was a brisk windy day and her older sister Mabel was visiting for a couple of days. Mabel had wanted to scout out some property and kept mentioning a 13 bedroom; due to the fact, she had some insane idea of bringing her grown children together to live under one roof. Insane idea to her but an important one to Mabel so even though she had tried to detour the idea numerous times on the final day of Mabel’s visit she conceded and arranged to view the house.
Her reluctance was not really due to her sister viewing the monstrous house, which she herself had seen once from a distance “ugly she had thought” the sadness she observed in Mable is what concerned her. Mabel had been sick for a while now, depression and sadness overwhelm her and due to the recent unnecessary death of her older son, the illness had understandably increased rather rapidly. She had a slim hope that during the visit she could assist Mable in discovering the importance of her present live, not the past we had already lived; the one Mabel seemed stuck in.
Maybe that’s it “she thought to herself” this may be just what Mabel needs, a distraction, after all Mabel is studying to be an interior designer. “If the inside of this home looks as monstrous and stark as the outside she had seen” it certainly would need a designer, one with vision. I could already see her fill with more excitement; even the conversation between Mabel and her had taken on an upbeat rhythm. She chattered on about the opportunity Mable would have as the owner of such a place, how Mable could put the new talents she’s acquired as a designer to use. Mable’s first big project; how exciting it could be “she thought to herself”. Sometimes all it takes is breathing new life into something old to make one realize that life is important and worth living.
It was about 1:00 in the afternoon when we pulled up to what must have been the gate of this property at one time. Mable was busy looking over the brochure she had been given regarding the property and noticed nothing else around her, she on the other hand had noticed the name of the street the house sat on “ awesome name” she thought to herself. The four of them Mabel, Chad (Mabels husband) her and her husband arrived before Martha the real estate gal. “Go ahead Martha will be right along” she said. Since she was not much into viewing property, her decision to stay behind was a rather selfish one; her mind was still on the name of her street. “Her street” she had decided right away that it would have to be one she lived on some day.
Martha soon arrived, she sent her on ahead to meet join Mabel; she wanted to be alone to wander as little or as far as she felt the need.
The wind was strong and frantic but as she walked through the remnants of the gate, she paid no attention to it; a strange energy softly swept through her. She stood just within the gate looking out over this strange property it felt familiar to her. To the left there were two ponds approximately 3 feet apart overgrown with grass “they must have been really something at one time” she spoke aloud to herself. Groves of trees towered above her head some straight and tall others twisted entwined around each other forming a sacred circle. Someone had placed various rocks beneath the groves perfect for sitting on and viewing the ocean that spread out in front of the property. As she meandered up the twisting driveway, her eyes took in the open piece of marshland on her right beyond which a large mound covered in mostly fallen trees retreated above towards the house.
Mable, Chad and Martha were still in the house, not wanting to take part in the process of buying Real estate she decided to continue her walkabout around this amazing property. The more she took in, the more she felt something coming over her “strange” she thought I have never been here but yet it feels like a part of me. She walked past the two car garage and the house neither of which interested her at this time; her husband was looking over the garage but she continued on. She came to a sudden stop just for a moment overwhelmed with what lay in front of her. It is so beautiful not only is there a large ledge of stone which you can take in the beauty of the ocean; but the energy was strong all around her. She recognized this energy and just couldn’t put words to it, her body was melting into the furious wind and before she could stop herself she began to turning around, dancing on her bluff, singing “this is ours, this is ours” it is so amazing.
Once she had finally stopped dancing and stood silent for a few moments, she caught her husbands figure out of the corner of her eye. She broke out into almost a full run towards him, stopped and put her arms around his neck excitedly repeating “can we have it, can we have it” don’t you feel the magic.
Roberta Joehle
November 4/03