Our house is filled with light.  Except our master bedroom, which is like a cave.

We’ve lived in the Cross Pointe Drive house for 13 years; a record for us.  I’ve repainted our  bedroom three times, trying to ‘fix’ the darkness problem.

“There should be a window there,” I muse as I turn on the bedside lamp, each Florida sunshiny day.

For years I put it off,  rationalizing:  “The rest of the house has lots of light; this is a room for sleeping.”   “We could give that money to missionaries.”  “In a hurricane, it’s one less window to cover.”

In translucent paint I lettered  Jesus’ words, “I AM here” (John 6:24) in that dim room.  When the light caught the letters a certain way, I could see the encouraging message.

Duane didn’t think the bedroom was dark.  He’s at work most days.  We debated,  back and forth, for years, trying to decide what to do.  I hung a painting of a window by Grandma Moses in the room, to compensate.

Duane and I are in our early 60’s.  We started thinking about downsizing.    Where do we want to be living in five years?  What things are we supposed to be doing?   The author of “In Defense of the Not-So-Busy Retirement,” (WSJ) wrote, “…decisions are not only about how to act but who to be.  Becoming someone is exactly the task in the open-mindedness of retirement.”

Move to something smaller?!  We realized that our house isn’t that big.  And we love it, even our dark bedroom.  Finally, we decided to  add that window.  Shine, light!

In ‘Peter Pan,’ the open nursery window symbolizes freedom to fly through the stars to adventure.

 A new  bedroom window  means we’ll see the morning sun and light throughout the day.  I don’t understand people who don’t open their curtains every morning.  Light energizes me.

 

The “After” is amazing, and it’s not even done!   The only place the window made visual sense was in the “I AM here” spot.  (Yes, we need to rehang that mirror higher.)

One new window has lit up our bedroom more than Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors.  I adore it!  Duane said, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?”

I planned to repaint “I AM here” in a nearby spot when the window was finished.  With the morning sun shining across the bed, I’ve decided on something new.  I’ll  take my translucent white paint and calligraphy these words above the window :

” I AM the light of the world.”  John 9:5