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A year ago it was a barren land, where stray animals rested and dust collected.
Then, one day he saw a sign put up by the proprietor, marking its territory.
It was a powerful beginning—with all the effortful drilling into the ground—not only making a deep impact, but also a solid foundation.
Nothing fancy he would say, but it was exciting to see one brick laced over another, one step at a time.
Sometimes the brick didn't come in the right size, sometimes the shapes didn't fit. Building and rebuilding, adjusting and accommodating, somehow things began to take shape.
Imagine how beautiful it would be when he put the chandelier just above the stairs some day! Imagine how warm and fuzzy it would be when coal began to burn in the furnace!
Then came the storm. That scared him, turning half of his dreams cold. He knew what had been built would not be torn down completely, but damage was inevitable.
He wanted to believe it would survive it, but would it still turn out as sturdy and flawless as he once thought?
Weeks, perhaps months later, he found himself shaking his head under the blazing sun, his worries long evaporated.
The work continued, as subtle as it had always been. It was looking stronger and more complete by the hour.
Soon, it'd be time to celebrate.
Ten or twenty years from now, paint might fall off while doorknobs got rusty. But no matter how ordinary it might become on the outside, it would always be warm and cozy within.
He knew it from the first day he saw it that he would love it for the rest of his life. This was the place he would go back to, the place to fall back on.
This was the right place to be, Burke smiled to himself.
