I went back to the place I lived for 29 years. As I approached the bridge over the canal, my heart lifted and sang. On the Cape, there is light as the trees are mostly stunted and small.
Oh, why did I not know I loved this landscape when I lived there? Why did I not commit myself to a permanent residence? Now, I am in exile, so to speak. Will I ever return?
I drove to Chatham...
and walked on Morris Island. A national park. Rosa Rugosa, a beach rose with lovely rose hips in the fall.
My friend Mort penned me a nick name: Sandyfoot. And so I was once again for these four and a half days. More on the trip later.But what about you? Do you have a place in your heart to which you long to return? Thomas Wolfe wrote a novel called You Can't Go Home Again. Do you think this is true? John McGahern, the Irish novelist, did return to his birth land and many lovely words of prose came from the landscape and his soul.
13 comments:
Hi Suki,
The Wolfe title applies for me,,,,,when I visit 'home', nothing is the same as it was when I lived there,,,,only the people,,, and they are changing too, as we all do, to some degree, at least. I find I am always ready now to return to the here,,,,the now,,,this place in time, where I belong,,,,this has become home. Maybe in time you will come to feel the same,,,or have the opportunity to go back,if you still have that same desire. I wish you peace in where ever you are.
Home is where you hang your hat. I think of that often. I loved it where I came from...but maybe 20 or 30 years ago. It has changed so much that even if I were there it isnt the same place I fell in love with. Hense why we moved here. But I would love to go back for a visit and walk the beaches and small Islands I once did.
Sometimes I think what the heck are we doing here. How can I be so happy here.
Oh BTW.. Welcome back. I missed you.
You know, I think sometimes we have to step back from a place to know how much we love it. You can go back...of course you can, if that is what you want to do.
So many people ask me how I can stand to move so much. There are lots of answers to that question. One of them is this...moving makes me take a hard look at what it is that is important to making a place a home for me. Sometimes I have not known that until I have left a place.
I can so identify with what Babs says..."this place in time, where I belong,,,this has become home." When I leave where I am at the moment to visit another place, I am usually eager to be back at my own home where I can do my own thing in my own time. That is also in tune with what Cris says about, "Home is where you hang your hat."
There are places I long to live. I adore Western Montana...my heart really beats with the rhythms of the earth there. I also adore the Normandy region of France and can imagine adoring a life there, as well. So, yes, I sure do understand that pull you are feeling. I also know the pleasure of enjoying where I am plopped down in this life...experiencing the new.
Thanks Suki for another post which makes me think...and long.
I am glad you were able to spend a bit of time back there...even if just for a few days.
wow
what beautiful words and shots, dear Sandyfoot...
wish you many happy 'returns' to your cherished place...
this post and your love for a place you love to be in... reminded me of Kelly's new post:
http://kikipotamus.wordpress.com/2008/06/07/does-place-matter/
and
Do i have a place in my heart to which i long to return?
yes i want to return to future... my place is there...
:)
lots of love and a big hug...
it's pretty darn nice here, isn't it? even after returning from 2 weeks in Europe I had to admit it's a pretty great place to live....glad you had a nice time while you were here.
Thanks for your thoughts Babs. I was unable to post or comment for most of the day as blogger was slow slow slow. Probably it is only nostalgia that makes me think Cape Cod is the place for me. I try to be here now too for the most part, yet I feel torn. I am only visiting here.
thanks for the welcome back Cris. I missed you too and your lovely bird and flower adventures. That's a fine saying, home is where you hang your hat. Good thing to keep in mind.
KIm thanks for your thoughtful comments. I am sure you have moved much more than I. words of wisdom from someone who has so much experience giving up one place to go to another. I know I did it a fair amount when younger, but I really liked being in one place for a long time. Although I admit, it was also getting a bit stagnant. But that was me, not the place.
Human Being, somehow I got out of touch with Kikipotamus. So thanks for the reminder to put her on my Igoogle page again. There was a movie called Back to the Future I think. That's pretty funny. Thanks human being. I feel like my comments are a bit inane. My brain is totally fried from over one hundred degree temps.
Hey Mary. Glad you are back. I stopped in at Diannes, though she wasn't there. Her hubby waited on me and I mentioned you and he mentioned your trip. Yes, it was wonderful though I wouldnt mind going to Paris either.
oh Suki your comments are full of love and wisdom as always...
yes i've seen that film... so funny...
:)
mmmm i don't like going backwards...but if i could i'd go back and sit on the top of table mountain and view the world from there...
I love, love, love the cape - but mostly in the spring or fall when it isn't so crowded. Even at that, the light is always just a little bit more special,and the landscape heartwarming
Glad you had a wonderful time and glad you're back.
human being, my brain is such right now that i cant even recall what film I mentioned. Oh well. We have both seen it.
Forever Young, for the most part i do not go back or havent much during my life except for sometimes a brief look at what was. But right now I seem to be looking back. Even being here with my Mom is a looking back in a way. Both to people and also place as I lived in Mom's area with my now ex husband for five nightmare years. So maybe I am looking back so I might go forward unburdened. I hope.
Mim yes the cape is less trafficy during spring and fall. However as I lived there for 30 years I'm used to it in a way. Although for most of those years I lived on the West end of the Cape in a town few tourists came to. As there was a grocery store in the town, and as I worked at home, I rarely participated in the huge traffic glut nor even paid any attention to it.!!!
Hi Suki,
Welcome back!
I just scrolled down and I have a lot to see and read..........
So lovely this Cape Cod. It has a romantic sound to me.
I have this homesick feeling for some things. For sailing, while I know I will never return.
For Sweden, while I know I will never live there.
For Rotterdam, the city where I was born and don't want to live in anymore.
For Zierikzee, the place where I come home now.
The beach rose we have here as well, they are called wild roses here. They smell lovely , In the fall I pick the rose hips for the deer, a nice treat for them.
Oh Suki, how hard it must be sometimes for you to be away from the place you long to be in...........
Marianne, you are so sweet to go back through all these posts. I love rose hips and in fact sometimes pick them and eat them right off for the Vitamin C. but it is fun to learn the deer like them too. Be well, Suki
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