The Chairs in My Life

Years ago, when we moved from our tiny starter home into our big, newly constructed home, my husband gave me a wonderful gift–my own chair. I picked out a comfy seat with wide arms and a matching ottoman. It sat in our formal-living-room-turned-library, opposite my husband’s leather recliner, an end table and window between. We would sit in that room and read our have our family devotional time. That chair became my place of peace and comfort. When we moved into our current home seven years ago, my chair found a place in the corner of the living room. With the brick hearth beside me for a table, this became my day-to-day place, where I paid bills, checked email, coordinated our busy kids’ schedules, watched tv, blogged, interacted on social media or read in the midst of family chaos. It is my morning wake up chair. My night time curl-up-and relax chair.

After I started writing, we bought a what became my working chair. Well, a chair-and-a-half, really. It sits in my office, angled infront of a large window that overlooks the yard and the street. When I retreat to this chair, laptop in hand, legs stretched out on the matching ottoman, I know it’s time to write. Both the ottoman and the seat are large enough to double as a desktop for papers and books while I work. A shelf of reference, writing, and research books are right behind me, within arm’s reach. And a small pillar candle stand holds my drink. I can settle in and not have to get up for a long while. (Which can be both good and bad!)

In the corner of my bedroom sits my meet-with-Jesus chair. It’s the newest chair to me, but the oldest chair in age. For years I’d used a sofa in our bedroom for this purpose. Then we needed that sofa to replace the falling apart one in our living room. I found myself with a void. I needed a seat in my bedroom, a place where I could journal and read and study and pray. My aunt was downsizing and had a cute little white chaise lounge (which desperately needs recovering!) which I immediately asked for. I love how it tucks into the corner of my bedroom, out of sight of the door. I have a table beside me and a basket of books and notebooks that are relevant to my time with the Lord each day. I love that when I sit down there, my heart settles, ready to listen to whatever the Lord has to say, by whatever means He chooses to speak. I often find it hard to pull myself away from this chair when the duties of the day beckon.

Why am I telling you about my chairs? Two reasons, I guess. One, I think it is important to have places that are used for specific purposes. For me, it brings focus to the different parts of my day. But also I’ve been thinking about my chairs in light of our coming empty nest. My chair in the living room has been my boundary against a houseful of people, my private place even if I’m not alone. The kids have had the sofa, the central seating in the room. But with them all leaving in the fall, suddenly I find myself needing to acclimate to the sofa once again. To sit beside my husband instead of opposite him. To leave my place of “mom,” who needs her space to attend to details and find a little peace, and go back to that place of “wife,” where the two of us are once again the central figures in our home. It’s a good place to be. It’ll just take some getting used to again.

So do you have spaces in your house (rooms or particular pieces of furniture) where you do your life?