My House, My Home

Time flies

Twenty-seven months ago today, I closed the door to the home I reluctantly left after ten and a half years. Beautiful, well situated and close to the town centre in Amsterdam, everyone who visited thought it was a fine place, I had wonderful times there.

Yet, that was part of the long tail of cancer I have sometimes written of, the post-recovery reality of getting your life back on track and I know it has been one of the toughest journeys of my own life.

Since then, I have been a nomad who has enjoyed the amazing generosity of people who never allowed my experience of adversity and misfortune to become an enduring tale.

Time flew

I was offered a house for two months, free of charge, then a family took me into their home for months until just after my medical check-ups, by which time, I had decided to return to the UK.

I stayed at my cousin’s for months and it was through them that I began to regain a footing in the UK before I found myself working in North Wales and living out of hotels in Ewloe, Manchester and London.

When that job ended, I stayed with a friend, then travelled, I returned to stay in a room after which I was on the verge of going homeless before I was offered a couch for a week and then offered a stay with another of my cousins.

Time flying

I kept doing what I knew how to do, until another opportunity came up that took me out of London, then it was hotels and travel until I settled into small flat share.

This afternoon, I obtained the keys to my own place and it dawned on me, what a journey I have had that in my mind I sang songs of praise, in gratitude for the wonderful experiences I have had that brings me to a point that I have a story to tell.

None of this would have been possible without the help of friends, family and strangers, prayers, encouragement and hope, life that keeps giving reason to live and live to write a different and better story and most of all to God who for all my waywardness has constantly and unstintingly been merciful and gracious or maybe I am just realising that that is the nature of God.

A house, A home by Anna Wilson

Brick by brick, stone by stone
We build a place to call our own
Gonna fill it up with laughter
Write my happy ever after
'Cause for the first time in my life
I'm holding the key
To a brand new life waiting on me
That's what makes a house a home
That's what makes a house a home