Spare Room

I had a startling discovery recently – I now have a spare room.

How did this happen?

After years of piling kids on top of each other in bunk beds in cramped rooms – of sharing dressers and space – we now have one room empty.

There’s nobody to claim it.

Matt, Dagmar and Pedro have all moved out. Buddy and Angel Girl each have their own rooms already.That leaves one left over.

A spare room.

At first glance this is a very sad thing – a reminder of the babies who have grown up and left.

But upon further reflection, I have come to the conclusion that not only is this a good thing – it is highly desired.

Think of how highly Anne of Green Gables considered the spare room.

“There’s one more thing, Marilla,” said Anne with the air of producing the last shot in her locker. “Mrs. Barry told Diana that we might sleep in the spare room bed. Think of the honor of your little Anne being put in the spare room bed.”

“Remember me Anne-Girl when you come to town you’re to visit me and I’ll put you in my sparest spare-room bed to sleep.”

And later – “Marilla and I cleared everything out of the spare bedroom yesterday. Do you know, I hated to do  it? Of course it’s silly – but it does seem like we’re committing sacrilege. The old spare room has always seemed like a shrine to me. “

No – I think a spare room might be a good thing.

I now have a guest room!

Space for more books!

Empty dressers for linens!

I could make a new quilt for the bed!

Maybe I’ll call it the “Anne Suite” or the “Green Gables Room”!

No – I think I shall call it the spare room so that my guests – like Anne Shirley – can have the excitement, thrill and honor, of sleeping in my “sparest spare-room bed”.

The room may sit empty now – but it has a purpose.

It no longer reminds me of what is gone, but is a promise of what’s to come.