My Home Forever

How would you think of your home and community if you knew that generation after generation you and then your descendents would be living there forever? There are a few of us who are doing that – I can think of three families in my Yardley neighborhood who are at least three and as many as five generations here. Most of us are transient in a generational sense, living in our chosen communities for the amenities and convenience, arriving here because of a job or like me because of marriage. In general we think of moving to other places as a common thing and of our children moving away as what children do. But for the sake of argument, what if our children planned to have our home when we are gone and then our grandchildren and so on for generations – would that change anything about the way we live today?


I lived in two homes growing up. The first was in Mount Aire in Philadelphia and then in a grand stone giant in Chestnut Hill. After I graduated from U of P and was on my way, my parents sold their house-painters-paradise, downsizing to a more suitable size for the two of them. I drive by the old houses every now and then to point out to my children the windows of my bedrooms and recollect a story or two of the gatherings we had there.

I have fond memories, but my children just say “oh, Dad,” in a humor-him-a-bit way. In reality I don’t think of the old neighborhoods much or remember the neighbors who have themselves long moved on. Some memories, yes, but no long term commitment.

For the core of Yardley and some of the old towns in Bucks County there is undoubtedly a generational sense of things. One of my employees is a third generation firefighter whose family hales from Langhorne. I went to the Yardley Borough party last December which honored all the volunteers in the Borough who help out in whatever capacity. There were dozens of folks there – not only those associated with the fire department, but council-people, tot-lot people, YBA members, planning commission, etc – an amazing group considering the size of our town. So in a sense we are all passing on the skills and knowledge of our forefathers so that the community can continue to get better and better.

This core is good, really good. Some might say it is the very essence of our democracy, what makes us a strong nation, an indivisible nation. Yet, I am perturbed by the throw-away culture that is also a strong part of who we have become. We are a people disconnected from the land that grows our food, the energy that fuels our autos and homes, the trash we pile on the curb and the pollutants that we eject into our rivers and air. In the pursuit of our responsibilities to our families we put out of our minds these externalities. We may think these are externalities, but unfortunately bad things do happen to good people, well meaning people, even responsible people. And when 5 billion people do these things the consequences will be untenable.

Maybe I am dreaming, but if each of us really is going to leave our home and community to our very children and grandchildren might we make them independent of foreign oil, less polluting, more durable, less toxic, well maintained, and functional no matter what stage we are in our life cycle. It makes sense if I want to live in My Home Forever.


This article was contributed by Thomas G. Wells


THOMAS G. WELLS CONSTRUCTION L.L.C.
105 Pennsylvania Avenue
Yardley, Pa. 19067
Tel: 215-321-4818
Fax: 215-321-2179
Cell: 215-378-4048
http://www.tgw-construction.com/

PA CONTRACTOR # #PA003219 • NJ CONTRACTOR #13VH03383400

Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc. Custom Cabinetry Blog
Superior Woodcraft, Inc. Website

Superior Woodcraft, located in Doylestown, Pa, handcrafts custom made cabinetry for the home.