In the retirement community where we live, there are lovely cottages and also three 5-story apartment buildings. We live on the 4th floor of one of the apartment buildings. One side of our building looks out into the woods—the Circle Woods as they are called here—and the other side looks out over the parking lot.
Before we moved here but were on the waiting list, I had always envisioned that we would have an apartment on the woods side. It would be like living in a tree house I thought. Peaceful. Meditative. I could become a bird watcher.
But when we were offered an apartment it was not on the woods side. It was on the parking lot side. Yes, we could have declined. We could have opted to wait until a woodside apartment was available. But we didn’t. We were ready to move and so we said yes to the parking lot.
The truth is, much to our surprise, we love being on the parking lot side. When I sit in my comfy chair to read or pray or simply look out our windows, I only see the tree tops, the mountains in the distance and a sky full of clouds. If you stand up and look out, you can take note of your neighbors who are coming and going, the dogs getting a walk, the occasional ambulance making an emergency call or a variety of other activities that parking lots harbor.
It is not the view we dreamed of but it is the view we have come to love.
When we lived one winter in Marion, Massachusetts we had a spectacular view of the Weweantic River which included seals and swans and sunsets like we had never seen before. The little furnished house we rented could have used a new mattress on the bed and fewer winter mice visitors, but oh, the views! Wow. It is doubtful we will ever spend another winter there but those views will live on in our memories.
As we recently pondered spending a week at the beach, we quickly discovered that oceanfront is much more expensive than oceanview as it seems that many rental cottages listed as oceanview actually indicates there is NOT much of a view. Views can be pricey.
We have friends who searched for a house in the mountains with the perfect view. They found a beautiful home with green fields and a lovely view of the mountains.But the neighbors were the real selling point; they were moo-ved by the view of those neighbors’ soulful eyes to buy the view of their dreams; the cows seem to enjoy viewing our friends, too.
This summer when our children and grandchildren were all visiting, we enjoyed a picnic at nearby Lake Julian. The company and the food were delightful, but the view of the lake really added to the peace of that afternoon. A few of the group took in the lake view by being out on the lake and another took a fishing pole to his own little private view spot. Some of us were quite content to enjoy the comfort of the picnic shelter, the view of the faces of family and friends. Some like to enjoy a beautiful view from afar and some like to place themselves right in the view.
All views we love are not rural or pastoral. For some there is nothing like the view of a big city with all its energy and excitement. A view that never sleeps as some like to say.
Some of us always pick the window seat of an airplane when we fly as there is no where on earth you get a view like you see when flying above the earth. Just ask the astronauts!
Here in the mountains of North Carolina we are entering the most colorful time of year with views that make us marvel at the beauty and diversity of the trees that surround us. Autumn is a master of spectacular views.
The dictionary defines the noun view as: the ability to see something or to be seen from a particular place. Take a moment and think about the views that are your own favorites, the ones you have seen and the ones you dream of one day seeing, the views that make you smile, the views that give you comfort or even ones that make you weep.
The most important thing about any view is just to take the time to look and to see, perhaps to ooh and ahh, to enjoy the meadows and the mountains, the lakes and the cityscapes, and yes, even the parking lots. Look and see and give thanks for the blessing of this amazing world where we live. Enjoy the view!
My house is surrounded by woods on three sides. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs behind the house. I love watching the wildlife, deer, raccoons, fox, bears, plenty of bears! I have bird feeders hanging from the deck and love to watch a great variety of birds. But I think wherever we live we can enjoy the view and find it interesting. It is up to us.
My sister's view at Trinity View (!) Community is of the parking lot, too, and I hoped she would not be disappointed. She has a little balcony she can walk out on and sit in a nice little covered space. Since she heard about the recent visit of the local bear, she has decided that she likes it better inside.