Of human bondage
Originally written and posted 18 months ago, this is a story that simply haunted me at the time and still does. The place remains for sale, the Sword of Damocles still hanging by a thread …. count your blessings well
19 Comments
Post a comment
Those poor people; living every day in terror of an end that hasn’t quite come. I wonder how many other potential buyers felt as you did?
That’s the thing Su – I might be flattering myself unduly but I rather think very few or none at all.
Yet it remains unsold. I’d feel as you did and (I suppose naively) want to believe that others would care too. But then I look at the way developers are ripping apart old communities here for profit — and you are probably right.
That is SO true …. there in Cantal there are few buyers because people are moving out rather than in but in other parts of the world (where I hail from in England as a random example), people are treated horribly at the hands of the money-grabbers.
Here we have the situation of social housing being sold off, with the promise that developers will build more as part of a “mixed” development, then reneging on the social part of the deal. And of course, getting away with it. Meanwhile, housing is so expensive (especially here in Auckland) we have families living in cars and in over-crowded, damp, virtually derelict buildings.
Despicable…. As you probably gather I’m not a fan of greed in any of its hideous guises …. What you describe is the worst kind.
Nor am I. I’m in the final stages of organising to sell up in Auckland and move to a quieter part of the country where I can belong to a community and actually contribute something meaningful. Uneven development, with regions languishing at the expense of big cities, is one of my pet hates.
I really hope that goes well and swiftly for you …. You seem very similar to me and I found the imbalance in large collections of people too much to bear. To be a part of a smaller whole and to live peacefully amongst a community you can contribute to is nourishing. We can’t fix everything but we can do more in an affable and balanced mindset and with love and decency
Thank you. You have summed up beautifully how I want to live my life.
😌
Community, community.
Buy into it. Value it. Support it. Priceless
Indeed though sadly, as in this case, it can fall apart
Therein lies the truth of it. Settle down, live a quiet life in small town anywhere, only to have it ripped away in the blink of an eye. Taken by fate, nature or governments, the result is the same. Everything you worked so hard for can be taken away. Nothing is forever, not even your life. Live simple, live happy and make everyday count.
I say often ‘everything changes, nothing stays the same’ … it’s a fact and not always a palatable one. We are too much at the effect of others in this life. But then I know you agree with me on that one 🙂
What a shame there was no way it could work out for all of you.
I still wonder from time to time …. If only it had more land we could make it work. I’m ever the optimist though and I do hope it will work out for them …..
Sad.
Very
Wow. From time to time I’ve worked for housing. Always knowing that I’m young, strong, and competent, that it’s just a stepping stone. I feel for them.