Michael Hindes

February 1, 2012 1:32 pm

Sitting on the Porch

Sitting in the family room of Rusty and Ericka Jackson’s home in Alabama. I’m watching it rain, not just rain, actually pour. It looks like it will be one of those all day rains. You can smell it in the air and see it in the sky.

Last night Rusty and I sat on the deck and talked about the past 4 years of our friendship - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the ridiculous. But it doesn’t look like that’ll happen today - too bad, I love being outside on a porch.

That brings me to today’s blog. I know it’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted - we moved, I’m old, so give me a break.

Back to the the porch…

I woke up this morning thinking about all the houses I’ve lived in over my life. And without exception, my favorite spot in each of those houses has been the porches, decks, or patios just outside the backdoor. In fact the last two houses we had in Michigan had almost as much outside square footage as inside footage.

To me, there’s just something about being home, but not being inside. Sitting close enough to see all the activity, but being able to see it from an outside perspective.

If someone slides open a glass door and invites me in, my first response is normally to invite them out. See its not that I don’t enjoy being around people, I’d just rather be with them outside…

And that’s the source of most major tensions in my life - I like being involved, I like feeling at home, I like the familiar relationships, but I also really like being outside.

I have great friends and I adore my family, but for some strange reason, I think differently than they do about most things. And if I don’t naturally think differently, I’ll move on purpose to the porch to get a different perspective.

I think I’ve always been concerned about having too much of an “inside the house” perspective. You know what I mean, right? I don’t want to draw the same conclusions that everyone has just because it’s easier. I want to look at things from the outside perspective where the air is fresh and the boundaries are fewer.

This attitude and way of thinking has gotten me into a lot of trouble over the years. Friends, family, and even employers have often believed me to be a contrarian or considered me to be just obstinate.

But I swear, that’s not my heart. I’m not trying to be difficult, I’m aware that I am, but I’m not trying to be. I really just prefer the porch, that’s all.

I’m sure I’m not that unique, there have to be a bunch of us outsiders out there…

1 note Filed under:  Observations, Discipleship, Life, Porches,.

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