When we find ourselves in Flagstaff, we like to visit the historic Riordan Mansion. What I love most about the property is the example of family togetherness found in the story of two brothers who married two sisters deciding to build a mansion together, each having mirror image homes of their own on either side with a common gathering room joining them in the middle.
Seeing the Riordan Mansion made me long for a family compound–seven separate houses with a great room in the middle–of my own.
So when Marlee and Jaye recently decided to live in our backyard–in their own private bungalow–while finishing school, I did a little happy dance. It might not be a family compound but it’s a start.
Walking through their trailer made me long for a camper of my own. A cute vintage one–just big enough for an adventure–with a kitchen and a bed.
“When I asked Adam what he wanted to name his boat he said, ‘I want to name her The Story.’ I realized that Adam saw this tattered sailboat completely different than most people would. Most would see an old jalopy of a sailboat better sunk than sailed. For Adam, though, The Story wouldn’t be a sailing machine; it would be a story machine. To him it was filled with whimsy, wonder, and adventure even before he untied it from the dock.” ~~Bob Goff
Growing up, my dad bought our family’s version of The Story in the form of an old motorhome. A story machine that filled my life with adventures that stretched across this entire nation.
Through the years variations of The Story have come and gone. And I’ve found that it doesn’t really matter what form it takes–a vintage camper, a sailboat or even that family compound with a great room in the middle–as long as I’m awake, alive and aware of the stories it offers.
When I think about it, each new day can be named The Story because honestly, with a little whimsy, wonder and adventure,
that’s all I really need.