It has been just over a month now since I came to see the ’Be You’ house at 320 E. 3rd Street in Loveland, CO. I can’t believe how many times I have just felt my head spinning and my mind reeling over what I have seen and experienced here at the house. Also the people, both adults and students I have met or gotten better acquainted with by being here have been so interesting and inspiring.
I love the concept of ‘Be You’. It is what I have been looking for all my life. It is what I have always wanted; to be me, just who and what I am. What blows my mind is that here at 320 East 3rd that concept is totally accepted. I spent a large portion of my life wanting to be accepted by others for who I am and what I am. In past few years I got to the point that I don’t have to have that acceptance from others, but I still did struggle with my own acceptance of just learning to ‘be’. In my spiritual walk I recognized that my God wants me to be, not just do, and do, and do. I notice He puts things in front of me to do, if He wants me to do; otherwise I try to just be. I find when I do what He has put in front of me to do, then when that is complete I have an opportunity to be, just what He wants me to be. With each experience I learn and grow, so I can become a wiser, or at least more knowledgeable and better person.
I came back to 320 East 3rd Street the second day, to make sure I was seeing and hearing things right. (There was still a little unbelief that I had heard Monika correctly). I just couldn’t get enough of what I heard when she talked about the innovation lab, what students had already done, and what their hope was by having this house. Every chance I got to listen to her tell someone about it, I was all ears. I was reluctant to tell others myself because I wasn’t sure I could convey the concept correctly. My mind was still reeling and I was trying to digest so much new information. I wanted to share with other people I knew what was going on, but I couldn’t find my own words to describe it. So I would start to tell them, expressing my excitement about it, but would soon have to invite them down for a tour of the place and to listen to Monika. I just could not explain all that I saw, heard, and experienced. I wanted to be a part of it, but not clear on how this grandma would fit in to this mix.
As I looked around, I could see that much needed to be done to the house. My old way of thinking kicked in, saying things have to be done here and things into place before first day of school, which was less than ten days away. I saw many windows in this old, two-story house that I thought haven’t been cleaned in probably 20+ years. So I thought that is something I could do to be helpful. Today I will do, and then someday I will be. I took on cleaning windows and storm windows, inside and out. For the first few days I wore myself out within about 4 hours. Finally, I asked my grandson, Gage, and his friend, Colton, to help me. They committed to help me till the job was done. What I saw happen with them and the process they went through again blew my mind. I saw them learn and process ideas of their own while at the same time completing the project of getting the windows cleaned. WOW! Those three days looked like magic. And during the same time I was going through my own process of change, too.
Before I knew it school has started, Colton has gone back to Canada, the windows are done, and many other projects are in motion at the ‘Be You’ house. Everything is constantly changing; people coming and going, projects being completed, some starting, and some in process. The house looks and feels different almost daily. Energies from people new to the house bring vibrancies and excitement. I spend a great deal of time in the kitchen with food delivery, food prep, cooking, cleaning, planning, and visiting. Often students and visitors hang out in the kitchen around the island, too. It’s not Hawaii, but wonderful conversations and a great time are known to happen there! Come join us sometime.
