Dear Girlfriends,
Like some other women, I often have to share my husband’s attention with another. Luckily for us both, Steve’s mistress is a new project. Occasionally the project is a sexy piece of metal with an engine that purrs, but usually she sports “good bones” and lots of windows.
It all begins with simple infatuation. First the reading of sensual descriptions of marvelous homes in the real estate section in the newspaper. As Steve reads, he’ll often mutter “ummm” under his breath. The serious flirting continues at the book store, where he’ll pick up architectural magazines and books to study their centerfolds with lust. I recognize the affair is escalating when we head to an open house; it’s out of control when he requests a personal introduction to the beauty by her agent.
I know this dance well as we sold our home and moved again – our sixth move in nine years. But this affair took on a whole new meaning in our lives when we decided to move from our single-family home on “Leave It To Beaver” Lane to a multi-family dwelling in the heart of downtown Dallas. Move number seven is scheduled for March 2009, when our high-rise condo is completed and ready for the Millers’ arrival.
In the meantime, we’ve made our home in a high-rise apartment in an area of Dallas called Uptown. Perched 120 feet in the air, we look out into the night sky of twinkling lights, and artfully lit high-rise buildings reflecting perfect Indian-summer sunsets. Our city view is breathtaking and our downtown living adventure is exhilarating.
Coinciding with our move, my friend Gretchen invited Steve and me to volunteer with her and some of her other friends at the Dallas homeless shelter known as The Bridge. Less than three miles away from our home, the city view there is strikingly different. Standing less than 12 inches away from poverty, I see things I’ve never seen before. The lights are on here, too. And this view, also, takes my breath away as my heart pounds.
Nothing is as I would have thought.
- Mary Catherine Bateson
Over the next few weeks I hope you will join me on my city-living adventure, that I might share with you the view I now see with new eyes.
Looking through a new window,
Ellen
Ellen:
The view of The Bridge is so important, but remember that it is just a band aid and it is essential because life requires band aids for injuries. LifeNet has just been assigned 82 opportunities for chronically homeless mentally ill and another 100 vouchers for 100 referrals from The Bridge. LifeNet catches those falling from Life’s bridges.
Hope to see you this afternoon at 4:00PM to preview our new NET.