Laurie Crosson Erceg stands in the kitchen of her tiny house on wheels holding spice jars and talking about geese.  In a few minutes, inspired by her recollections, I’m scrolling through YouTube until I find it:   Lessons from Geese.  “That’s the one!”  Erceg’s eyes shine even more brightly, something I had not though possible.  We read a few lines together, about cooperation, helping others, working together.

In the tiny kitchen of her adorable abode, Erceg looks confident and poised.  At sixty, she’s navigated some challenging byways.  She’s raised two children, lost three brothers, and successfully pursued two careers, first in health education, and now in career and academic advising as the owner of Career Track Plus.  But her “tiny voyage” began in 2014.

Finding herself unexpectedly single, Erceg decided to tour the U.S. in an RV.  “I loved that thing,” she acknowledged.  “I traveled from June to late October, visiting perhaps a hundred places.  I looked for the path least traveled, the unexpected and unplanned detour.”  She laughed about one in particular, which she thought might have been called The Thing.  “It was a fake mummy or something, but the tourist attraction signs drew me to it.  I got a kick out of it!”

As a result of her road trip, she  knew that “small space living” would be right for her.  “I like the feeling of having minimal possessions around me, but with each of them having meaning,” she explained.  She points to object after object that came from family or friends, touching each one  as she identifies the cherished soul whose memory it evokes.  On her counter sits the last little crystal goblet from her mother — dainty and delicate, just right for the place it now occupies.  “I’ll put a flower or something in it,” she observed.

Although she had enjoyed traveling in her RV, Erceg preferred the warmth of a house with wood.  She gestures to the rich tones of the cedar  walls and ceiling.  She talks about projects she plans — a wall hanging made from a fallen branch in the park; a towel rack and tissue holder of reclaimed wood; organic and natural.  Her home reflects the gentleness of her personality, with hues of soft green and lavender.

Knowing something of the backstory, I tread lightly in talking about the design and build.  She toured numerous places and liked the person with whom she dealt at the Oregon builder which she finally chose.  But the design and planning got away from her original concept.  Each change sounded good when proposed.  The result did not reflect her  original intent, nor does she intend to stay in the house.  “It’s my starter tiny house,” Erceg explains.  “I’m making choices now that will accommodate its future owner.  It will eventually belong to someone who likes to travel because it’s easily towable.”  She points to the tile she’s added in the kitchen and bathroom as two features which augment the home’s charm, along with the convertible bed/sofa built by tiny houser Derek Campbell, who with his wife Kelly also lives in the park.  But she needs a different lay-out, more storage, and a sleeping loft.  She hopes to have those things in a future tiny house on wheels, which she’ll get down the road once her present house has sold.

From her experience, she draws a lesson to share with others who want to “go tiny”.  “Talk to other people who have used the company you are considering,” she said.  “Then stay on top of the project, from design to all phases of construction.  If you don’t feel ‘heard’, run!”  She shows me a saying which she feels guides her continuing journey:  “When you replace ‘why is this happening to me’ with ‘what is this trying to teach me,’ everything shifts.”  She sees this shift as directing her life in an amazing and joyful manner.

Erceg chose Park Delta Bay at the recommendation of the owners of East Bay Co-Housing.  She had met them at TinyFest, and reached out for  recommendations as the time to take delivery of her house approached.   She’s been in the park for four months, and seems like a happy fixture.   She’s helping to build a community spirit at Park Delta Bay, starting a game night, working on holiday events, and helping to form a resident’s committee to plan activities and gatherings.  “I feel best when I have connection to community,” she admits.

As for what she likes about her chosen life-style, Erceg doesn’t hesitate.  “Freedom and comfort,” she replies.  She says that living a life surrounded by substantially fewer material possessions has allowed her to embark on self-discovery.  As for comfort, she points to the cozy space which she has created, with its baskets, its rich fabric, and its mementos of a life lived with love and intention.  It’s impossible not to feel a small twinge of envy, as she waves goodbye from her purple door, and turns back to her work helping others to find their own paths.  Her tiny house might not be perfect for her, but at least for now, it seems to suit her very well.