2 weeks in the books! Finally feeling a bit more settled after the initial mad rush to finish minor repairs, making visits to my second home at Home Depot, and making the home feel like home.  

Here’s a side hustle idea for someone: Create an e-course to help educate clueless new homeowners like me on how a house works. Topics include basic handyman-ship, the ABC’s of plumbing, HVAC systems, appliance repairs, and how TV mounting. Bonus points if you make it VR-compatible. 

Jokes aside and on a deeper level, owning a home has triggered a myriad of nostalgic feelings that as a result, have led me to think about the shortness and beauty of life. These nostalgic feelings were hitting from all the angles — mowing the grass, taking the garbage can out, walking around 99 Ranch (NOT Ranch 99 y’all!), and driving around quiet, empty streets at night. 

There’s this continual thought of, “Wait I’ve seen this all before.” 

It’s almost like there’s a gap that was created between the initial memory that was formed and fast forward, 15-20 years later to the present, when those memories came up again. And it’s in that gap that creates this indescribable array of feelings from awe, regret, appreciation, fear, and many many others. 

After all, it only did feel like yesterday when I was sweating on my driveway under the baking, dry, SoCal summer weather scrubbing the tires, trimming the edges and, taking a fat nap right before dinner. If most of my adulthood was spent in that home from childhood, teenage and early adulthood it should be no surprise that so many memories and feelings were attached to it. It’s like there was a powder keg of nostalgia just waiting to explode when Noelle and I moved into our representation of that home and all that was associated with it. 

It’s more obvious to me now knowing why that keg didn’t explode at all the last 6-7 years I’ve been here in the Bay. Every city, every apartment, every surrounding mini downtown, and maybe even the hoodie, breezy Bay weather all felt new to me. New is exciting. New is distracting (in a good way). New doesn’t trigger. But new can only last so long till that feeling of home comes calling. Once a ‘burban boy’, always a ‘burban’ boy. 

But with all that said, life continues. Life brings its blank pages that we get to fill as we raise a family, form memories at this home, and get to know the city around us. There will always be flashes of the old but gosh, what an opportunity it is to try and do the old one better. The past serves as a great teacher so hopefully, I’m a humble enough student to listen to it. 🙂 

So as I reflect on the old and get excited about the future, I’ve come to appreciate a few things that have stayed consistently true through all these years. There’s something about Mr. Familiarity who only gets magnified in his importance when the factor of Time is applied. Things like rooting for the Lakers (KOBE!), heart-to-heart conversations with old and new buds, an insatiable diet for good food and good conversations, books about God, Navy Seals, and sci-fi, and a solid, sweaty workout. And most importantly of all, my relationship with God. His sweet, gentle, kind and caring Presence seems to freeze all dimensions of time. The overwhelming sense of peace and joy that I’ve come to know from high school to college to my 20’s and now as I enter my 30’s. The desperate prayers that have been answered and have yet to be answered. The mini car concerts banging out to Hillsong on the I5, 405, 101, 280, the 1 all the other highways I’m forgetting to shout out. The revelations from the Word from youth leaders, pastors, small groups, and morning devotional time. From Mission Viejo to Concord to wherever the heck I’ll end up in another 15-20 years, how good is it to know that I have a Father who will be with me and love me faithfully forever and forever. Let’s go! 

To end, here’s a little clip of our favorite new (but old) activity we get to do every afternoon as a family.

Cheers for reading. 

AL