Laney's Alone Place

Dear Laney,

A few months ago, your school bought an old church in their neighborhood and turned it into the new elementary building. With the sale of the church came 20 or so church pews. To thank us for all the volunteer work we do for the school, the ladies who own it let us have two of the pews. Thus, I was able to realize my dream of having a custom eat-in kitchen.

Your dad cut the two pews down and turned them into a corner bench:

When he was done, we were left with two short pew ends. One he turned into a little bench by our front door where you can take off boots. I'm too lazy to go downstairs right now and take a picture of it, but trust me: it's cute.

The other stubby end just sort of languished on our back deck until people were on their way over here for a party and I realized I needed to get it out of the way. Your dad was out of town at the time, so I roollllleed this pew, side-over-side, until I had "hidden" it in the little strip of yard between our kitchen window and the back fence.

Just yesterday, you told me, "That bench back there is my 'alone place.'" I like to go there when my feelings are hurt or I'm mad and just be by myself."

I thought it was pretty commendable that at the age of four, you'd invented the term "Alone Place," and recognized your need for one. Mostly, you go back there and talk to yourself and to the leaves of the lilac bushes.

The only flaw in this quest for mental stillness is that the reason you need a sanctuary in the first place is usually tagging along, hugging you around the middle as you search for inner peace. 

Thanks for not kicking him off the pew.

Love,

Mom