Dear House Letter

Each year my husband and I have end-of-year rituals, one of which entails writing to our house. As a Feng Shui consultant, I experience the energy of space, as do many people. A home takes on the energy from the predecessors, from the builders, from the neighbors, and from those who currently live there. Our responsibility as sentient beings is to recognize and acknowledge this energy. So my husband and I write individual letters to our home.

I have included the letter I wrote to "901" this year for you to read. You will see that I review what we’ve done in the home in terms of repairs, remodels, upgrades. And I outline what we’re planning to do in the next year (this is part of another ritual we do together on New Years—plan out house projects). This letter also gives me an opportunity to express gratitude for all that the house has done for us. You will also notice that the house has a name, an exercise I highly recommend. If reading this letter is helpful to you, I encourage you to sit down before February 4th (the Chinese New Year) and express your thoughts and ideas and grateful heart to the house in which you live. It's a simple and fun way to connect.

May this Year of the Ox bring you all that your heart desires.

Dear Jiu Ling Yi (Chinese for 901)
This past year marked our 14th anniversary together. I remain grateful for the safety and security you provide us, for the sense of "place" you exude, for the beauty you reflect our way. In all ways you have become home to us.

This past year we spent some quiet moments together painting the upstairs hall. I love this soft earth color and trust you’re finding it as soothing and delicious as we do. We continued to clear out the storage areas in the basement—as you know it becomes an inviting spot in which to dump the questionable items. This does not go unnoticed by me so do not fear that things will get out of control. Some new furniture arrived here and there during this past year replacing old pieces that had "expired," or, in the case of our bedroom furniture, finding another home in which to thrive. The addition of our pendant lights in the kitchen has added nothing but sparkle to the area; I find comfort in their golden glow. And, finally, we sealed the garage floor with an interesting textured finish to seal the crumbling cement. It has provided us the added benefit of preventing moisture from going under the driveway which caused it to buckle in past years. The front and back gardens changed in small ways, enhancing our surroundings and embellishing the innate strength that lives within and without your walls.

In the upcoming year our plans are to paint the upstairs bathroom—I get the feeling you love the chosen color, again an earth tone. You seem to be nudging us in this direction, bringing in a more grounded spirit. We plan to make some changes to the lower level living room. As you know this area is being used less and less so we have some ideas to correct that. We continue to search for the "perfect" light fixture for the powder room. I know you don’t want us to settle for anything less. We have some modest garden plans, one of which is a new hammock for the back deck, that will enable us to enjoy your beauty and inspire our souls.

Thank you for your warmth, your shelter, your quiet presence. At certain moments I hear your breath. You have been an inspiration to us and I hope we have been to you. Thank you for opening your arms to our life, our cats, our chaos at times. I am never lonely nor frightened here—I hope the same is true for you. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you.

With love,
Carole