Tomorrow I sell my investment property in Kirkwood and it will be the first time in my life that I have not had a physical connection with Kirkwood, MO.
Funny, selling this condo seemed so transactional until I realized that either myself or my parents have had a home in Kirkwood for every second I have been alive. It was a great place to grow up - safe community, good schools, amazing friends. I have probably biked every last street in Kirkwood at one point or another and I have enough memories in that town to take up a full day of stories. However, tomorrow my financial connection to the town ends.
Here in the last 6 months we have sold Dad's house (which was quickly leveled to allow for a larger home to be built on Essex) and tomorrow we are selling the property that I bought for my sister to live in when she came back to St. Louis. She has now bought a place of her own and no longer needed the condo in a neighborhood that did not fit her style. (so I guess her connection ends tomorrow too)
I'll always bleed Kirkwood Red, I'll always have a fond place in my heart for the 63122 zip code - but like so many other things here recently - change is the new norm. I do like that others will be able to move to Kirkwood and see what a great town it is - and create their own memories.
For me, I'll drive though from time to time. Take a passing glimpse of the old addresses, just like I have been doing for years for the other addresses we had in Kirkwood. But it will never be the same. The connection will be gone - it'll just be memories from here on out.
It's been a good run, I hope tomorrow's new residents of Kirkwood are able to make the same quality of memories that I did there.
So long 'wood...
