What does the expression, “You can’t go home again” mean? We moved so often when I was growing up and I craved returning to each previous home for a visit. Those visits only left me recognizing I had become a stranger. Friends had either filled in or smoothed over the space I left behind.
Other blog posts about friends today:
Stella by Starlight
Past Imperfect
(Exercise continues. I am up to 40 minutes on exercise bike and 9 pound loss reported at this sixth week.)
Good for you on the exercise - you inspire me.
ReplyDeleteI am taken by your phrase that friends had "smoothed over the space" you left behind. I love visiting my home town, too, but I always feel the same way. Life goes on there without me and my life is quite different than theirs. I think that is what "you can't go home again" means to me.
I liked what you said about going home....maybe the reason we can't go back home is because home is really the people we shared it with and they are no longer there?
ReplyDeleteI am sooooooooooo impressed with your 40 minutes....wow, go Granny go:)
You go, girl!!
ReplyDeleteDid you ever dream about houses you used to live in? I do, and dream that I still live in them, or have moved back after a long absence. It's weird.
Ok Ok OK...must start my exercise again. Maybe in Florida after babes are in bed I can take a jog on the beach? Congrats BIG TIME.
ReplyDeleteI've moved many many times in my life and every time I've been back to an old neighborhood, I've found little pieces of me left behind...
ReplyDeleteThoughtful post, Granny Annie.
Lynn -- I believe that my life has very good aspects to it because we moved so much but it does make me jealous to see people who lived in one place and have life long friends.
ReplyDeleteChanges -- Those people are either not there or they have simply forgotten me. I seem to take the memories with me and can relate to them things they have forgotten completely.
Kenju -- It was actually a recent post of yours that inspired this post from me. Yes, I often revisit old homes in my dreams and I have lived in a lot so there are plenty of places to go:)
Tabor -- I will encourage you to start exercising if you will encourage me to continue. I know in the past I have always gotten off to a strong start only to allow something to stop me. I'm so hoping that won't happen this time. I must increase my good cholesterol from 23 to 50 and exercise and weight loss are my last alternatives.
Talon -- Good for you! I can see how you would be memorable:)
ReplyDeleteThey say 'never go back'.It can be disquieting especially when the street containing one's grandfather's shop had been bulldozed and rendered the surroundings unrecognisable.
ReplyDeleteI went home, i.e., where I grew up, last summer and I sorta liked it even though I really don't know anyone anymore. Our house looked almost the same -- obviously my mom found the perfect color scheme -- and the trees had grown a lot. They had torn down the school I attended and built a park. And our parish had built a new and bigger church. Still the river and the bay were still there and I knew I was home.
ReplyDeleteI get misty whenever I go up there and see the skyline as I cross the bridge. It's not the same but it's still home -- I've been down here 50 (oh my God!) years and it still isn't home and probably never will be.
Good job Granny Annie! You are on the right track! Are you feeling strong?
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about going back...I moved a bunch as a kid too, and hoped to keep my kids from having to move lots. We know how that's working out.
I'm not sure what that means - I have not read the Thomas Wolfe book, either. I have moved quite a bit also and so it's always weird when people ask where I'm from.
ReplyDeleteGood for you on the exercise!
Howdy Annie
ReplyDeleteWay to go with your exercise .
Congrats :)
Keep going girl !!!
Home ,yes please !
Hubby and I have moved too much for my comfort.
My childhood was filled with moving way too often .
I continue to yearn for my own home and roots someday.
I really really want to have a place that my grand children can remember whenever that day comes .
For now I just need roots for myself and my grown family.
I know home is where the heart is and that is wherever we are in life as well as our loved ones.
It would be nice to have a place to have come from .
Great post today.
Blessings to you and yours.
Hugs from Texas
Happy Trails
Thanks for coming by. I am glad you enjoyed my post and thanks for mentioning me on your blog. I learned early that home is where you hang your hat. But I am not sure where home is for me. Where I was born or where I graduated from high school. Both of those places hold a special place in my heart. Of course now home is where my hubby, children, and grandchildren are. And I am blessed they are all in one place.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the weightloss.
ReplyDeleteI looked up a childhoos friend awhile back. It was great for about 15 minutes. Then we discovered we had nothing in common except a couple years of our childhood. Sad. Sometimes memories are better left alone and cherished.
I don't get here often enough. In fact I rarely get up off my knees. Yeah, I pray a LOT. (actually, for five weeks and counting, you KNOW I'm cleaning and painting) And ya know what? You CAN'T go home again, but just last night, I was standing on the porch and a "smell" wafted to me from 50 years ago! I couldn't identify it, but my mind did a 50 year old leap to my childhood. But I was still on the porch in the year 2010. SO sad.
ReplyDeleteThis is uncharted waters for me. I live in the house I grew up in.
ReplyDeleteI do know that if I left, I would feel compelled to return for visits.
On the latter, women are truly the queens of guilt. But on the other hand we have too many folks in this country who feel no guilt at all. Bad for America.
latter=former :)
ReplyDelete