Sweet Relief

Today was a busy, but a rather productive day...  In the morning, we participated in Community Service Day at the Food Bank for work.  I was still feeling a little bit stressed out because there was a decent amount of cleaning left to do at the old apartment.  It wasn't too bad, because I knew everything would get done, but I still dreaded going back to there.  My old apartment was kind of a place of hopelessness and discouragement because so many things went wrong in my life while I lived there.  I didn't really realize it until I'd spent a couple of nights in my new apartment, but the old apartment was filled with negative energy.  It was dark and dreary.  Once I went back there after spending time in my new apartment, I felt a definite difference.  Walking into that old apartment made me feel sad all over again.  It sucked the life right out of me.  I had been surviving there for a couple of years, but the reality is, I wasn't really LIVING there.  Basically, it was a storage unit with a bedroom.  I kept my stuff there and I slept there, and that was about it.  Anything of any significance, anything pleasant or enjoyable that I've done for the past two years was done outside of that apartment.  I can honestly say that I did not enjoy much of the time that I spent there.  It wasn't all miserable, but it was definitely not pleasant. 
Today, I got the last of my stuff out of that place and into the new place.  All that's left to do is to finish the oven (the oven cleaner had to sit overnight) and mop the floors.  Then I can turn in my keys and be done with that chapter of my life once and for all.  There is still a ton of work to do at my new apartment, but I am feeling encouraged that it will get done fairly quickly and then I will have the opportunity to celebrate this new beginning and bring joy into this place.  I actually have room to entertain and I fully intend to take advantage of that.  I intend to have this be a place where I can enjoy spending time, where I actually LIVE rather than just a place where I sleep, eat and bathe.  I look forward to spending evenings here with friends and family members.  I look forward to the future that I have in this home regardless of how long or short my time here is.  I intend to enjoy every day I spend here.  And if you want to be part of this, just let me know - there is still beer in the fridge at the moment.