Symmetry

Eight months. Eight years. In the process of doing my taxes, I discovered an interesting date on the mortgage statement, and some digging in my email history confirmed it. Paul died 8 years to the very day from when we moved into the house, August 14, 2010.

We had such a strong emotional response to this house from the first day we saw it. As an architect or just as a person with five senses, I recognize that it needs a tremendous amount of remodeling. Vinyl flooring and an acrylic shower/tub in the bathroom? Not my first choice. Failing plumbing fixtures and a broken kitchen fan? Not ideal, but I make it work and I still have friends over for dinner.

But I also appreciate the intangible impact a good physical space can have on people. The vaulted ceiling in our two living rooms, the mid-century linearity, the accent wall of mahogany, natural light, maple tree in the back yard and a glimpse of Puget Sound and Olympics all come together in a magic that made us fall in love with this house. I feel safe here, happy and comforted. Someday, I hope to update the problem areas, but for now I can live with them.

I’m grateful Paul got to be here at the end, in our favorite room. And I’m glad it wasn’t as hot as August 2010. I know he wanted to live to see his next birthday, or our anniversary, but his choice of day appeals in some weird way to my affinity for balance.