Done

At 12:30 yesterday we accepted an offer on our house. We've agreed upon the end of July as our closing date and we shook hands on a price. All morning I fretted and worried about the meeting. The usual insecurities about 'are we doing the right thing' and 'is Joe's new enthusiasm for the move real or put on for my benefit' and 'how will it be to live in an apartment again' and 'what do we do with all that stuff' and 'I'm scared.' As we sat down to meet a lovely young couple and talk seriously about the house I could see real excitement in their eyes as they described the houses they've looked at and how much they love this one, about how their kids were going to love living there, about the local school and the neighbourhood. I caught a bit of their excitement.

The they asked us how we came to decide to sell. Joe passed the question over to me and I explained that living as a person with a disability in the country was ultimately isolating, that there were so many things that need to be done with houses that I can't do anymore and my fears won't let Joe do, that we had loved living in the city when we lived there before and would love living there again. They listened and nodded, it all made sense to them.

So it was all set. Then Joe went with the wife down into the basement to look at something she wanted to see and I was left with the husband. He asked how I got into working with people with disabilities and surprised me by telling me that his brother had an intellectual disabilities and how that experience made a difference for him. He talked about the teasing and name calling his brother experienced and how it had made an impression on him and how it had affected him as a parent. I found myself liking this guy and thinking what lucky kids he had.

It wasn't important, or even necessary, for us to like the people moving into our house - but it is a gift. There were times that this whole process seemed pre-ordained - it's been so smooth and painless. We actually sat and talked about how we could help each other out, they were saying that they were young and strong and that anything we didn't want, just leave and they'd either use or cart it away for us. That they'd clean and paint and do all that stuff so - don't worry about it. We agreed that they could have access to the house whenever they wanted to check things out and move things in, organize themselves.

So it was done. I had worried needlessly, they left happy with the meeting and we were left thinking, "I'm glad it's them'.

Now we begin the search for our next home. We've decided on getting an apartment for now and think about the future later. But ultimately we aren't too worried. We've lived happily in big places and small, we'll be OK. And I'm picturing having a greater amount of independance, greater freedom, and a little more of the life I had before my disability. I don't care that I'm moving around in my chair, I just want options.

But it was nice to like them.

Weird.