Once cozy; always a delightful sanctuary for freedom of thought and action. But now as I peered through the half open door I observed my room such as I had never seen it.

The wooden door had deep divots scratched into its surface; the paint peeling away so you could glimpse rotting wood underneath. I gasped when I saw the now uneven plank floor, warped and cracking with every step I took.

A horrible creaking groan dripped from the rusty hinges as I pushed on the door, and I winced in disgust. The room itself was dim and foreboding, with wispy spiderwebs cluttering the corners and a thick layer of dust covering everything.

I never thought it could get like this, but when your home has been boarded up for so long I guess it loses its magic.

I continued in my examination of the place, wrinkling my nose at the musty smell that rose from the carpeting (along with a sizable cloud of dust). I dared not touch the bed, for it looked as if the mattress would fall through if so much as a fly landed on it.

I paused before the streaky mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of my face through the dirt. Something shifted beyond the bed, and memories of checking for monsters underneath played with my brain. I transferred my weight to one foot as I leaned to look for the source of the sound.

A little cloud of dust rose beyond the moldy mattress, and I instinctively backed towards the door. Whatever it was seemed to be coming towards me, though in the dimness of the room I couldn’t quite make it out.

Then I screamed as a long snake slithered past me, traversing on its lazy way into the hall. I covered my mouth and waited for my pounding heart to slow back to its regular rhythm.

Years of neglect and isolation had turned my safe place into a nightmare. A hint of sadness touched me as I recalled the memories that would always be a part of this room.

Laughter when friends came to visit. Brainstorming ideas for novels. Singing my heart out when home alone. Hiding under the covers while watching scary movies and videos. Crying when someone close to me broke my heart.

Gone.

A sad smile caressed my lips as my eyes searched the walls and furniture. I pulled the door closed and returned to the cheery outside, feeling comforted by the sun and the breeze.

But the knowledge that those days were gone also brought the realization that they were not lost. Though I didn’t have the space anymore, I had the memories and to me that was just as good. I had a new space I could make memories in. With change comes growth, and we decide if it will be for the better or not.

I smiled.