Many of you have followed my journey since the beginning, back when this blog was about achieving a dream: to live tiny with someone else. Has the dream changed now that I live alone? Do I have regrets about building the tiny house? Is this still the life I want? As I bring in the New Year, I reflect on tiny house relationships and independence.
Let me tell you a story. It’s about wish fulfillment.
When I was a young girl, about 6 or 7 years old, I was asked to make a wish on my birthday. As I leaned over my cake, adorn with lit candles, I thought long and hard about my wish. Most young girls would wish for a pony, a doll or a puppy, but every tangible item that floated into my mind seemed insignificant. I wanted something bigger; something that couldn’t fade or die. I hovered, frozen over my candles, and suddenly a wish came to me.
I exhaled with all my might.
The candles extinguished, but the room was bright.
I’ve made that exact same wish a hundred times since that day. Whenever I toss a penny into a well, see a shooting star, and every year on my birthday. Always the same wish. Never another. Do you want me to reveal my wish? I’ll tell you…
“I wish to live a long and happy life.”
Simple, yes. Yet this wish is everything. Material items and relationships may change. Even tiny house relationships are not exempt. Change is constant, but the choice to be happy will always be mine.
I spent the majority of 2016 worried I could not live alone in my tiny house. Physically, I didn’t know if I could maintain it. Economically, I wondered if I could afford it. Mentally, I was afraid of associating it with broken dreams. It is especially challenging when I read old articles, such as last year’s New Years post. A lot can happen in a year.
I’m learning to live tiny all over again.
There are moments when I am frustrated with living alone in this space. These instances happen when something breaks, a loud noise frightens me, or when I’m lonely. But then I remind myself of my wish and I work towards making it come true.
Every day the atmosphere inside my tiny house replaces itself. Today it’s stuffy, but tomorrow it may feel like a hug. I find comfort in that. The more I live alone in this space, the more I find it hard to believe I ever shared it with someone else. I continue to be impressed with my ability to adapt.
The reason I’m sharing this with all of you is because I get a lot of questions about tiny house relationships. I believe it takes a special kind of person to live tiny with someone else, but it is possible. There are no guarantees, but living tiny and love have one thing in common: they both require you to throw caution to the wind.
Great piece of info. I really enjoyed your article. I guess the Tiny life is well suited for me then.
ps. – i personally built a picture site dedicated to the tiny house movement – https://www.needleplus.com/tinyhouses/
I am without a spouse for the first time in over twenty years, and for about a year and a half now, and have been glad to be on my own life trip since, so many things, tiny to large are now so much calmer, kinder, peaceful, and joyous again. It is funny how counting totally on me for what I want to do, see, experience, and how I see life are now free to me to decide, without anyone to interject their opinions, and trying to change my mind to do what they want, or tell me I am wrong in my decisions. Freedom is so precious to me, now that I have experienced it. Free to choose any and everything, it is so wonderful.I understand it may be scary at times to think of responsibilities you once shared, like house repairs and the like, I have them too, but each time I do something on my own it strengthens me, and builds me more. I have all the faith in the world in you, you are so great, you have done so much at such a young age, just imagine what more you have to accomplish, and remember, it is all up to what YOU want to do now, no one to stop you now!! Best wishes to you on your JOURNEY, you are going to be great, and free.
Jenna, I get what you mean and yet I think I did before you said it. I’m not very good with me and someone else, but when it’s just me, the solitude and knowing I built it just for me make’s it all good. I’m glade you have the gumption to stay the course and I’m glade you can do it when things break, or you hear a loud noise, and even when your lonely….that’s the only tough one for me, but it passes quickly if you don’t dwell on it. There’s an old post I clipped from some page I don’t remember where it was from that says, Love doesn’t let us pick who we fall for, and it can surprise us to see who we do fall in love with. I don’t believe we’re meant to be alone but I do think when we are, it’s because loves waiting for us to learn something we’ve always turned away from. It’ll come back around, just be patient.
You know, for the best part of my life I’ve been thinking: stay within the lines, do how it’s done, normal is crazy enough et cetera. And I did start a company, bought the Merc – then another one. You have no idea how much I’d like to travel in a tiny house with someone I love. Any place your live in (big or small) and partnership is always about compromises and agreeing, but as long as mutual respect and love prevail that’s ok. Yes, it takes that one special person to live in a tiny house and yes, it takes that one special person to have next to you in the ups and downs of a relationship. I sit in an office that is probably the size of your house – going nowhere. How fortunate you are!
I agree with you, doesn’t matter whether you live in a tiny or a normal size house, life sometimes throws you off course. You find yourself going in a different direction, away from the future you thought you were going to have, through no fault of your own.
I still struggle with memories, the activities and the interests I shared with my husband, and find I have to give permission to enjoy them again.
But at the same time, I have to keep going for myself and my children and deal with the fears and anxieties of raising a family as a single parent and remember that there are also good times to be had.
It sucks to be alone sometimes, but, I hope you and I can come out of this stronger, resilient, independent, and better able to deal with the obstacles and find stronger bonds with family and more rewarding careers. Happy new year Jenna, may 2017 bring you happiness and be rewarding in all ways possible