Run Away

Selling our home, and finding another one in town would be difficult today.  The market has rebounded a bit since 2007, but not quite to where we were when we bought in 2006.  Almost, but not quite.  The type of home we are interested in is not available in Sturbridge at this time, but is in other towns.  There is very limited new home building going on, and what is being built, is like all the rest.  They are like those tract developments of the 1960's many of us grew up in.

I don't doubt the market will recover, but attracting more people to town to buy up existing inventory, and then for builders to supply new homes once the inventory becomes critically low will help drive home prices up to realistic levels.  Interest rates will rise some, and the market will even off and become less of a buyers flea market.  In the meantime, the towns debt, and tax rate counters new arrivals from settling here.

Things will get better, but it is going to take some more time, and it just may not happen in my lifetime.



Wells Beach, Maine
(c) 2012 W. Hersee

 In the meantime, since we felt selling, and buying locally, would not be in our best interest at this time we decided to get another place elsewhere.  It's the best of both worlds.  We get to keep the home we enjoy here in town for now, and escape whenever we can to  the coast of Maine.

Why another place?  Simple.  It is therapy.

It is a safe haven, a place to go to decompress, recharge, and start over again fresh.  This gives me strength to do what I do better, and clears my head.  Just pack up the car, leave someone in charge at home, and go.

Those are the grownup reasons, but the bestest one, the most important one, is child inspired: we get to "run away".  We always ran away for a weekend every few months, or so, and knew of the benefits, but now, we do it more often, and I am a better man for it.

Running away is something that we all need to do now, and again.  Leaving the daily whatevers behind, and emptying ones mind into a book on the beach, or just examining the back of your eyelids, is a great way of  making more room upstairs for improved insight into life back in the real world.

Just happens.

A few hours away in the mountains, or shore, acts as a cerebral flushing.  With no pressing issues in front of us, with no visual reminders, such as grass getting too tall, we loose all those stress inspired behaviors.

Late on Sunday, we return home, refreshed, and eager to begin our week.

Some unasked for advice:  run away.  Doesn't really matter where, just a place you will enjoy for a couple of days  Bring as little as possible with you, and as soon as the car door closes behind you in your driveway, let go, and don't think about anything from this world until you return.

When you do return all the same stuff will be here to greet you, but you will be in a better frame of mind to deal with it.

A couple of nights at a Hampton Inn every couple of months can change your world, and make it easier to deal with.

Now, get out there and recharge, let go, and decompress.  Your clear thoughts, and renewed strength are needed here in town if we are ever to take it back, and make it a better place.