First time I saw it, I fell in love with the place. Although it is not the “Cabin in the Wood” that I always dream of, the place has my name written all over. It is a small living quarter located on the top floor of a high-rise building, overlooking the “Pentagon City Valley” down below. The building was constructed on a steep hill; walking up to that hill is quite an exercise, which I certainly do not mind.
Inside the apartment is one big airy space. An open kitchen connects to dining and living areas. The apartment does not have a bedroom but a handcrafted Murphy bed provided efficient sleeping platform. Other living spaces including bathroom and walk-in closet are also small, but again efficient. Former owner had a hard time selling the place. I can understand it for not everyone is comfortable living in such a small home. Besides, with months of neglect, the place was covered with layers of dust, clustered with unused furniture, and permeated with the moldy smell of dirty rugs. Curtains were draw down completely to block out sun lights. The place resembled an aged citadel, lacked of vibrant, color, character and life. But the place was in fact a citadel, a small fortress that perhaps once upon a time had its magic. I can image many moons ago, before the pentagon city was built, the place probably offered a panoramic view of the Potomac River, stood tall on a hill and overlooked the valley down below with grassy meadows and lush forests.
One of the most alluring features of the apartment is its wooden floor. Former owner put sectional rugs covered 80% of the floor surface. I spent 5 hours painstakingly removing the old rugs and scrapping the yellow glues out of the wood surface. At the end, what I discovered underneath was this gleaming Brazilian cherry hardwood floor. Today, the floor once again reveals its original glory.
Another appealing feature of this “cabin” is the sunny balcony. It faces south east, captures the morning sun from dawn until early afternoon. Summer, when the air is hot and humid, with shade, gentle breeze and a cold drink, this balcony can be a safe haven to escape the unbearable southern heat. My plants will be delighted too; finally, I find a good home for them. They will attract birds, butterflies and all kind of plant loving insects. I am going to buy a bird feeder and perhaps leave a bucket of water every day for them to take bath. I picture myself waking up every morning by these cheerful singing creatures. With minimal decorations and lot of cleaning, this place ought to be a cozy place to live, to read, to write, to entertain, to hide and of course to foster many of my dreams.
I am determined to beautify my “cabin” with simplicity, keep only functional furniture, let plenty of sunlight and fresh air filter in; replace all the abstracted paintings with my adventure photos, add house plants here and there. When I finish, the place re-affirms my desire to live a simple life and mirrors my personality as a nature lover. The place is a perfect place for my retirement!
Amazing how life revolves. Years ago when I graduated from college, I often dreamed of living in a huge apartment but at that time, all I could afford was to rent a tiny living space in someone’s basement. It flooded every time after rain. Two years later, my financial situation improved. I moved out and rented a stereo apartment in a not so good neighborhood. I was robbed first week after moving in. Two years inside the stereo, no matter how much I cleaned, scrubbed and bleached, roaches were everywhere. They ate my noodles, crackers, and left their wastes to mark their territories. One day, I discovered a dead baby mouse underneath my sofa, I moved out as soon as I could. By then, I saved up enough money to buy my first condominium.
It was a brand new unit inside a luxury building. The building had a gym, a nice garden, and 24 hours doorman. The unit had concrete floor and walls, sealed away all the noises from neighbors, a charming kitchen with new appliances, washer and drier, small balcony facing a park. It was a 180 degree improved living conditions. I loved the place, and so were my hiking friends. They all wanted to hang out at my place. My career was doing very well and with increased salary and year-end bonus, I purchased a bigger unit; a two-bedroom apartment in the same building with a large dinner room and living room, one and half baths. For 20 years, I lived in a very materialistic and luxury lifestyle.
Money allows us to choose but it can never make us happy. My high paid job in the Wall Street area took away every bit of my personal time. I was very stressed and unhappy. I began to look for the true meaning of life and I found Peace Corps. Two years living in Azerbaijan, I had very little to live on. I was poor but happy and content. There were no deadlines, no time schedules and no demanding requests. Instead, I had time to think, to relax, to read, to write, to take long walk and above all, to give something back. It was the most humble and rewarding experience of my life. Two years flew by in no time. When I was back to the United States, I knew exactly what I wanted in life. I settled with a low paying government job. I wanted more time to fulfill my other dreams, to travel, to climb more mountains, to spend time with family, to be with nature and to devote time helping others. I want to LIVE.
Giving up the fancy lifestyle in New York, I moved down to Virginia, started a new life with new friends. Nowadays, I do not care much about living in a large apartment, a small cozy stereo will be sufficient. I do not need to entertain big party to feel important. Few close friends with occasional visits are much preferred. Weekend, instead of wandering in a shopping mall, drinking and gossiping in an expensive restaurant like Mr. Chow, I would rather be alone in the wood, stroll along the four-mile run creek, and let nature heals me from years of artificial living.
It is ironic; I started with nothing but wanted to have everything. Now my strongest desire is to have nothing, but a content life and a happy soul.
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