Autobiography, journal, scrapbook
Grady has his own little playroom in their new home, January, 2016.
That indoor tent was a favorite of Drew and Matt, many years ago (see below).
“Each of us is eccentric because each of us is unique and no one else is like us. We can best express our individuality in unusual, uncommon ways at home. Our home is an autobiography, a journal, a scrapbook…Living at home is a dynamic, creative process.” — Alexandra Stoddard
I really miss the days when people spent more times in one another’s homes. I always feel I know someone much better after I’ve been in their home a few times. It doesn’t really matter to me how large or small the home is, how old or new, or how it’s furnished. What I enjoy is the way each home, like each person, is totally unique. Some of my favorite places to stay have been the smallest and coziest, even when some of what we now think of as essentials were not available.
Real estate agents now “stage” homes to make them look basically as if no one lives there. I can understand why they do this; it’s much easier for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in a place if it starts out with an appealing but bland atmosphere. But as a visitor, it’s much more fun to see a home that has the unmistakable stamp of the people who belong there.
In the recent winter storm, I was stuck in Atlanta for a couple of days longer than I had planned to be there. I was anxious to be home and antsy at wondering when the weather would allow it, but best part about that was that I was able to stay with Drew, Megan and Grady in their new (to them) home. They have recently bought a lovely place, several decades old, that had been in the same family all that time until now.
I fell in love with the home. What I liked best about it was how unique it was. You could feel a sense of the generations of the family who had owned it, lending a sort of character to the atmosphere. At the same time, it seemed perfect for its new occupants, each of whom is (at least in my eyes) quite exceptional and well suited to such a one-of-a-kind dwelling.
Our homes don’t need to be grand, stylish or even consistently neat to be welcoming and appealing. What’s most important is that they reflect who we are; our interests, our priorities, our joys. Some of us are private people for whom home is a retreat, with visitors rarely present; others of us love to have a steady stream of friends coming and going. Either way, we will be happiest in a home that is comfortable and full of our own personalities.
Drew and Matt with their friend Chris in the same tent seen above.
I told you I never throw anything away! Hawaii, 1993
How about your home? Does it suit your personality? If we all popped over for a visit, what would we see there that we would not be likely to see elsewhere? Don’t worry, we won’t notice the dust or the piles of yesterday’s mail or laundry that might be lying around. We came to see YOU– and I just know your smiling face will light up the place, whether or not you feel as if it’s ready for prime time.
This post was first published seven years ago today. Because that year (2016) was a leap year, and this one is not, there will be a shift in the days each post is re-published for the remainder of the year. Just in case anyone notices, you’ll now find that they will appear on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
Defeat Despair 