Denial is a Good Thing

When you are working on a home improvement project of a certain magnitude, I maintain that some denial can be helpful. Dominic asked me later if I was ever terrified at this phase of the project that we’d never get the house put back together again, and honestly, I don’t think I was. I never let myself dwell on the fact that THIS was what we’d paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for (when those thoughts began to hum in my brain, I focused all my energy on looking at pretty paint chips and decorating magazines). Also, it wasn’t as if we’d chosen to renovate a perfectly decent house - I really couldn’t have lived in the house in its pre-remodeling state, so tearing it apart was the only option. I guess I didn’t let myself feel scared because I didn’t want to really freak out, but maintaining my denial was at times a delicate endeavor. I couldn’t put my fingers in my ears fast enough when Dominic told a family friend that he was “winging it.” Sometimes, honesty is just cruel.