When I was younger I realized the meaning of the phrase, "You can never go home". In other words, things continue to change even while you're away and will never truly be the same again. It saddened me greatly as a young adolescent to come to that realization because I considered my "home" to be a rather magical place.This past week I traveled back to Maine and spent time with both my family and a the myriad of memories that I still have. I was assaulted with smells, sights and sounds, rushing the past to the very forefront of my mind; piles of Autumn leaves, cool breezes through the birch trees, my mother's apple dumplings, each triggering a flood of memories that were like old friends who have not changed at all.
All of this made me re-think my paradigm of never going home, and I came to the comforting realization that you never really leave.
3 comments:
i was in a similar situation some years ago- and, yes, i'm still travelling from my so-called home (what actually isn't one 'cause there the circumstances aren't that pleasant..) to my hometown after realizing i never really left.
on the one hand i really don't think that there is just one place on earth you can feel something like 'home'. but on the other hand- this one home, where, as apt you say you're '..assaulted with smells, sights and sounds, rushing the past to the very forefront of my mind.." and where so many things are related with any kind of memory is our 'one and only' which can give us a taste of feeling save.
and yes, maybe this is because of you never leave or that there is always something we leave over at the places we are..
Great observation Eric. I like the idea that home is always within us to remember what it was like.
Your mentioning of the smells, colors, textures, foods, and feelings of a New England Autumn was more than enough to bring me back to my home and my childhood.
Thanks for the memories,
Damon
Sounds restoring and refreshing. Lovely photos, as always.
Welcome home.
Cathy B
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