The cottage by the sea was her safe haven. It comforted her from the storms of life that seemed to overwhelm her frayed emotions from time to time. 

As a child even, she had dreamed of a place that would lend her the capacity to be herself, without intimidation and fear. When she found the cottage by the sea she knew at last her dream had come true !

Yes, she had ventured to the mountains, to the woods even, down by the slow moving creeks, in search of it. And perhaps had found a bit of solace in each, but neither compared to her final discovery!

The remarkable thing about the cottage was it seemingly appeared out of nowhere. At a very difficult time in her life, when it seemed there was no one who, or no place that, could satisfy the insatiable longings of her heart, she came upon it. 

Just a figment of her imagination? She knew it definitely was not...it was real, and suddenly new life sprang up in her psyche!

As she walked the sandy shores and gazed upon its beauty from afar, she imagined herself dwelling within its four walls. 

It was everything she had dreamed of--not too large, yet not too small. The exterior was eye catching, so she could only imagine how the interior would be. 

As she slowly approached it, with every precaution imaginable, she held her breath as she peeked through the windows. Could this be possible?, she asked herself timidly.  

Very meticulous measures had been taken in its decor! The floors were beautiful ceramic tile, the walls were painted  various colors that were conducive to the setting...pastels and bolds, yet the contrasts accentuated each other! Variety was what complimented the entirety, with a stone fireplace in one corner of the main room!

Yes! Her dream had come true , almost.

She relished in her find, and felt more excitement for her life than she had in years!

But...if...she pondered. There's always a but, or an if, isn't there?, she asked herself.

Determined, though, she pushed that thought aside, and continued to examine every inch of the cottage that was visible from the outside.

As she walked around and sat down on the front porch swing, suddenly she saw an old man walking toward the cottage from afar. She wondered if perhaps he might be the owner. 

She stayed her position in the swing until he came near enough to see her there.

He smiled and extended a hand toward her. She walked off the porch to meet him and greeted him with a hello.

She asked him if he were the owner of the adorable little cottage, and he answered affirmative. The only problem was he was staying in the local nursing home and was not  able to keep it.

Her heart began to race, as the possibility of it becoming her safe haven swelled in her mind.

He asked if she might be interested in it.

She said only if it could be attained at a fair price.

He invited her inside, and even though it was meagerly furnished, the warmth it exhumed convinced her even more of her desire for it.

He stated that if she promised to care for it as he had, then she could purchase it for barely nothing. His main concern was her ability to love and cherish it as much as he had!

She was speechless!  As she sat in his presence and listened to his story of life, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the cottage by the sea was to be her safe haven, just as it had been his, these many years! 

She assured him that it would mean as much or more to her as it had him.

They agreed upon the price, she paid him in full, and he gave her the key.

He told her to return the next day, and his belongings would be removed.

He winked and smiled as she started out the door, and told her that she had found her dream, her safe haven, only because she believed and never gave up searching for it.  

She heartily agreed!