On December 27, 2014 my wife and I will have resided at The Rockwood for two years. We entered the uncharted waters of independent living without a map to guide us on our journey. We had lived in our own homes for fifty-five years, and now we were part of a retirement community. We have come full circle. Our first residence, as a new couple, was an attic apartment in the North Chicago suburb of Niles Illinois. The four room attic space above a single family home was our residence for three years. It was sparsely decorated with mismatched furniture and a few wedding gifts. We now live in a well appointed, large two bedroom apartment in Webster Groves, a community north of another big city, St. Louis, Missouri.
Leaving the life of home ownership was not an easy transition. The freedom of your own space with a yard was the American dream. Our homes held memories of our children growing up and starting their own lives. The memories fill the senses and keep flooding the mind on a daily basis. However, new memories of the past two years now occupy our mind. The old memories will never be replaced but the new ones provide comfort on our journey. Free from responsibilities of home ownership, we are building new friendships and enjoying a new environment filled with the things we love. Music, art, and stimulating conversation, now fill our days. We have also found a new hunting ground for objet d’art and tchotchkies. My worst fear now is where will I put all of Anita’s unusual treasures.
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