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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

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Monday, November 23, 2009

MIRRORED LIVES

Storyteller

Once there were two families whose lives were altered by national events. This is the setting that brought them together to the same house. Their lives looked like mirrored lives.

The mother of family Set wrote later to the mother of family Jet: 

When we saw your house for the first time, I told the realtor that I liked it so much. My teens loved it as well. I couldn't forget about the house, so after 2 weeks I asked if I could see it again. That time your hubby was there and we talked for a while.
I asked the realtor to send in an offer. I heard later that you had multiple offers that were much higher. I was a bit down at that time.
I went on to see many other estates, but came back to this house after a few months with a higher offer. By now, 50% of all real estate sales were foreclosures, which effected the prices of the other houses greatly. 

Fam. Jet took the offer, and when the two families met, an amazing scenario came to light.


Family Jet lived in one of the major cities of Indonesia. They had the Dutch nationality. At the time Jetty was 5 years old, life there became chaotic. Riots made the streets very unsafe. Inflation escalated to the point where one egg cost 50 cents (this was in the 1950ties). Jetty's parents decided to live in Holland, and escape the impending oppression of Islam. They went, as  thousands of others did, on big sea liners to Holland to begin a new life.

Pushing the button on fast forward, Jetty and her husband received their college degrees in the US and then went back to Holland. Nine years later they came back, with their three children to this country for the second time. 
After a decade she and her husband purchased a house in an all-American neighborhood. After many years, when faced with an empty nest, they thought it would be best to sell their house. You probably may have gathered by now that this part was my own story.


Family Set lived in one of the major cities of Indonesia as well. Twenty years before, they also lived in the United States. 
Life in Indonesia became very scary when she had to drive a long way to bring her kids to the Catholic school and riots of the Muslims began to make the streets unsafe. She never knew if one of those days she would make it (read: be alive) or not. 
So, even though her husband had a business there, she decided to move to the USA to escape Islam and have a safer life for her teens. After about a decade the economy in the US changed, and they were able to buy a house.


Isn't it amazing how after 50 real estate agents with their clients coming through one's house, and escrow falling through three times, that the buyer has similar life events happen to them as the seller?
How often does this happen?


PS don't forget to look at my new page ART NOTES

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22 comments:

Unknown said...

What a lovely story Jeannette, and how wonderful that the two families lives crossed. A good looking house too, by the way!

Gaelyn said...

Excellent story and event Jeannette. Yet I do not believe in coincidence, things do happen for a reason. I'm thinking there's more to this story. Thank you for sharing this.

DUTA said...

Small world; and your fascinating story takes place at a time when the president of the USA , Mr. Barak Obama also has indonesian background.

Jeannette StG said...

Gaelyn,
I'm with you! I tend to believe in destiny, rather than coincidence. So I'm very curious what comes out of this coming my/our way!

Jeannette StG said...

Jane,
I'm inclined to think that the front yard makes the house look good!
Yeah, these stories don't come my way every day :)-thanks Jane!

Jeannette StG said...

Duta,
This story has the flavor of some of your stories! It had crossed my mind, Duta, but I don't consider Obama Indonesian - his worldview and ideas, that is.

Chrisy said...

Yes life's strange...but wonderful...isn't it. And there is something about that house....

Jeannette StG said...

Chrisy,
Yes, life has its unexpected twists and turns -good ones and not so good ones:)
What are your thoughts about that house?

Diane AZ said...

That house has major curb appeal with the gorgeous landscaping design. Interesting how the house brought the families with so much in common together.

Jeannette StG said...

Diane,
Thank you Diane, I thought up the landscape design to save water, and to save $$ - I don't live in an area where you can get these big rocks at the river yourself LOL
Life has its surprizes:)

Unknown said...

Great Read

Jeannette StG said...

Hello Kyle,
Thank you! And for visiting my blog:) Please leave your URL or link tot your blog, so I can visit you. Thanks

Angie Muresan said...

What a beautiful story Jeannette. I am curious to read more.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Oh how I am smiling . . .

Jeannette StG said...

Kathryn,
So am I!
Have a happy thanksgiving:)

Jeannette StG said...

Angie,
It just happened, so I don't know yet what will happen:)

Angie, I've tried to visit your blog, but your profile pic doesn't provide a link for your blog -please send it to me or your URL, to my email or comment box? Thanks!

Kilauea Poetry said...

This was an interesting read and fascinating but what you expressed with both parties is a serious reality we all face. I think the house is lovely too. Nice post Jeannette.

Barry said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Fall harvest being much earlier than yours (given our shorter growing season), we celebrated our Thanksgiving a month ago.

Now we can only dream of turkey.

Anonymous said...

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Jeannette StG said...

Regina,
Thank you, my friend. So true, we can't foresee life has for us, but I'm counting on it that we somehow are able to get through it all:)

Jeannette StG said...

Going,
it would help if you would put some English characters here:)

Jeannette StG said...

Barry,
Thanks so much! I wondered about that, because several blogs I read are from Canadians. Is it such a big feast as in the US?