It seems like it’s been the longest 9 weeks of my life trying to sell my father’s bungalow. There were times where it just didn’t seem like it was going to happen.

With an exchange of contracts having taken place last Thursday, yesterday the keys were handed in to our agent ready for completion of the sale today. Saying goodbye to my parents’ home will be the end of an era for me, but I’m determined not to hang on to the memories, partly because some of the memories I have aren’t good.

It’s time for me to leave the house behind and with it any memories. In this case, the memories I hold belong with the house.

Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

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6 comments on “Time to say goodbye”

  1. I'm glad you've finally gotten to this point with your parents' house. I think you'll still have some memories but it's good that your leaving the bad one's behind you.

    I on the other hand will not be so glad to sell my parents home. I had tons of good memories there, but I also have bad one's. We all need to leave the bad memories behind us and continue through life with the good memories.

    It's the end of an era for you and it's time you got on with your life with your family, so that you make new wonderful memories.

    I wish all the best for you and your family in the future.

  2. I'm sure it was very difficult but also a relief in some ways to be able to let go of a lot of those memories!

    We grew up constantly moving, so we never really had trouble with those memories which has been a blessing in some ways. Hopefully it won't take too long to be able to let go for you. My biggest problem, I just realized, has been that it's always been easier for me to let go rather than fight to hang on to anything!

    I'm trying so very hard to change this fact now.

    1. Thanks Randy. I think the process of the sale was more difficult, partly because I didn't have the right agent support; she was literally making the process for me more difficult.

      Generally, I try to weigh up all my experiences and find that there are some things that are just not worth hanging on to, particularly if they begin to concern, worry us or make us ill.

      It's not always easy to know what to hold on to our let go of. We need to hold on to the right things and let go of the right things and that's not always easy to do or achieve. Working through the process and our experiences help.

  3. It sounds like it is most definitely 'time to say goodbye.' That chapter is closed and you can let go and look forward.

    I would hope that the bad memories will fade with time and the good ones won't.

    1. Thank you. Yes that part of my life is definitely behind me now. You're right it is time for me to look forward.

      I have some good memories. I intend to focus on those.

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