Sunday, October 19, 2014

Wandering Roots In My World

THIS HOME tucked into a quiet street was a family's pride and joy until time and disrepair left their marks. The dislodged picket fence once sat alongside the trees. I have seen people, pets and birds enjoying the big front yard during my walks over the years.

The house added character and coziness to the neighborhood where larger structures are being built and families mingle out of sight in private backyards.

I will miss seeing this little house along my way. It will have been demolished by the time I post this piece.

According to current trends in Canada, the owners of the replacement house will primarily view it as an investment and likely live there for no more than five years. We are becoming a transient society taking our roots with us from place to place, increasing the cost of housing with every move.

I wonder. Does that make us more detached and less committed to our communities or are we simply more flexible and less prone to attachment to material things? Is home made of brick, wood and mortar or a state of mind nowadays where memories are stored in a suitcase called Cloud?

To the people who plant their roots deep, to the homeless, to the displaced refugees throughout the world, home is a concept that conjures up extraordinarily powerful feelings, "Home is a name, a word," wrote Charles Dickens in one of his novels, "it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration."

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

15 comments:

  1. Oh, Maria, I feel for that wonderful little home that must have quite a mix of tears and laughter within its walls. Thank you for immortalizing it in your post!

    I am behind in comments, but will tell you briefly, (I plan to get back to you in more detail) that I agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts about Hallowe'en, am enjoying your Green Couch story and plan to recommend it to my sister to read to her grandson (possibly when he's just a little bit older) and have to add that your photography is reaching for the sky. It seems to get better and better (and I thought it was great before)!

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  2. Oh, what a charming little house! Shame to see it go. I read a very poignant article by George Monbiot today who claimed that this wasn't the digital age, but the age of loneliness. I guess that is what happens when everyone is rootless.

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  3. It is a lovely house, one I would like to live in and renovate if need be. Sad that it is going to be torn down. We live in a very transient neighborhood also.

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  4. The house that must have been demolished by now looks cozy and charming. I will also miss it when it disappears from my walking route. There is the same trend among urban dwellers. On the other hand in the rural area, people treasure their land inherited from their ancestors mainly doing farming or small factories. Japan as a farming country, land had spiritual meaning but during the rapid economic growth, land came to be used for speculative purpose. What is “home” is a good question. Maybe the answer could be different from the continent where people have migrated for so long and an island country. I think home is made of love and dreams while house or condo is a container made of wood or ferro-concrete.

    Yoko

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  5. It is so sad to see the end of someone's home, A place full of dreams and laughter and memories.

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  6. A charming little house indeed and it is sad how many of them are being lost these days! Hope you have a great week!

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  7. Creative photo! Beautiful little house!

    Sad story and sad that populations of people are into consumerism and not making a home and establishing roots ~

    Happy Week to you.

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  8. It looks like it was a cute little , kind of sad to see it go..I lived in this house almost 25 years now. But, we would like to retire in a smaller place with new surroundings..Great post, thanks for sharing.. Have a happy new week!

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  9. It is often sad to witness the seemingly careless destruction of property that surely "houses" a wealth of hopes, dreams and memories for one or more families. This style of home I find far more attractive than many of today's modern characterless boxes (guess I'm just showing my age!!)

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  10. Living as I do so close to Toronto, I see so much charm being destroyed to be replaced by a brick sameness. REALLY sad.

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  11. Oh, that is a sweet little house...looks like it's full of stories. I'm sorry to hear it's going, but there's no stopping progress, I guess. Hopefully, whatever takes its place will mean the beginning of new stories...

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  12. Such a sweet little house. Sad part to me is not only the rootlessness but also that people still want mega-mansions. Small can be beautiful and makes sense for the environment. But then, I live in an RV so I might be a bit prejudiced;)).

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  13. I love that house! Very charming.

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