Telling Yourself a Story

I once heard that new car ads are mostly for buyers of new cars to not feel buyer's remorse.  I don't know if it's true, but I really like that idea.  So much of what we think we remember is about telling ourselves a story.

When we bought our house, we found, both during and after the process, that there were all these indicators that it was "meant to be."  Of course, there's no such thing but it is a useful mental trick to make yourself feel good about major decisions or events in your life.

One of my favorites about the house was this hammock which we received at our wedding as a gift many years before we even started looking for a place of our own:9

Our previous place didn't have two trees the right distance apart and the hammock stayed in storage until shortly after we moved in.  One day it occurred to me that these two trees in the backyard were the about the right distance apart so I took the hammock to hold it up and see if I was right.

When I got there, I discovered two hooks already embedded in the trees, waiting for me to sling the hammock between them (no adjustments needed).

Today, after spending the afternoon outside engaged in some spring clean up, I broke out the hammock.  As I lay there, I thought of how meant to be the house was in our lives.  I thought on other pleasant thoughts and just generally enjoyed my hammock moment.

The view up from the hammock this afternoon

Update 16-May-2020

Update 31-May-2020

Update 17-June 2020

Update 22-Aug 2020

7-Nov-20