A Little Tight, Just Right  

ately, I feel as if I’ve been living in a perpetual construction zone. Every stroll through the neighborhood reveals another green fence sprouting up overnight, heralding the arrival of yet another demolition crew.

When I first moved to my community, I loved its diversity. I could walk one way and find families like mine — doing our best to juggle carpool, tuition, and maybe a vacation if we could pull it off. Or I could walk the other way and admire expansive homes and landscaped gardens.

When my in-laws first visited, someone remarked, “There are so many big houses here.” I remember answering, “For every big house, there are at least ten regular ones.” Math has never been my thing, so let’s assume that ratio came straight out of my imagination. But the point remains: The mansions stand out not because they are the majority, but because of their size. But really, most people live in normal houses. And many aren’t homeowners at all.

It’s simple: The “haves” have their mansions, the “have-nots” have their regular-sized homes. And if Goldilocks stopped by, she’d find each family’s house just right.