Love this. We moved into a 300yo farm house in England 5 years ago. Though we own it, I also have the sense that we are only the stewards of this place for a very short blip in its long and storied life. I can hope we serve it well.
Beautifully written and I absolutely identified! My husband and I bought our current home 5 years ago after looking for years. It was not the right time - we had a 2 month old and I was due back to work from maternity leave - but it was the right place. I made a joke we are picking burial plots somewhere in our 5 acres of land because I was never going through the hell of moving again.
Your last thoughts encouraging us to stay awake to the story were perfect. Not only is it important in everyday life, but as I am trying to get my bravery up to write fiction again, it's helping me frame my mindset.
Beautiful words!! “Whatever your situationship of late, may you be buoyed by all the places you have called home.” ❤️ I’ve moved so much and lived in so many places during my life. Some of the places I’d call home, but as you touched on here, not every place I’ve lived deserves the honor of that title. Interesting too how sometimes a place you visit feels like home. But that’s another topic. Anyway, I just loved this whole piece. Thanks for the generosity of your words!
I was just thinking last night, “I haven’t heard from Stephanie in a while...” and here is your lovely voice in my inbox. Congratulations on your new home!
Love this. We moved into a 300yo farm house in England 5 years ago. Though we own it, I also have the sense that we are only the stewards of this place for a very short blip in its long and storied life. I can hope we serve it well.
Gornick's "Situation and Story" is such a solid book on memoir--your title pulled me in.
BUT THAT BATHROOM!!!!! THAT is fabulous! Not sure why anyone would utter--whisper--the word reno anywhere near those tiles! Sacrilege!
Beautifully written and I absolutely identified! My husband and I bought our current home 5 years ago after looking for years. It was not the right time - we had a 2 month old and I was due back to work from maternity leave - but it was the right place. I made a joke we are picking burial plots somewhere in our 5 acres of land because I was never going through the hell of moving again.
Your last thoughts encouraging us to stay awake to the story were perfect. Not only is it important in everyday life, but as I am trying to get my bravery up to write fiction again, it's helping me frame my mindset.
A real gem of a read, Stephanie. A lot to chew on in this piece, for this immigrant and TCK. Thanks so much for sharing!
Love this! You are so right houses do speak, and ours yelled at us 17 years ago, my husband and I both just knew.
What a beautiful piece! My mind is already spinning with ways I could use the living situations of my past and present in an essay.
This topic touches my tender heart. I wrote about place and home and land and love and loss in TMLL. Cheers to your new (to you) home. Settle well!
I want to hear house stories!
Absolutely loved this! Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful words!! “Whatever your situationship of late, may you be buoyed by all the places you have called home.” ❤️ I’ve moved so much and lived in so many places during my life. Some of the places I’d call home, but as you touched on here, not every place I’ve lived deserves the honor of that title. Interesting too how sometimes a place you visit feels like home. But that’s another topic. Anyway, I just loved this whole piece. Thanks for the generosity of your words!
I was just thinking last night, “I haven’t heard from Stephanie in a while...” and here is your lovely voice in my inbox. Congratulations on your new home!
I’m not surprised your essay won you the house. Who can compete with a professional writer and editor? Congrats on your new house!