Taking Your Place

On Sunday's during the summer, our family would drive over to the family house in Bluffton, SC. Sometimes, instead of going straight to the house, we would drive past the turn-off and go down to the boat ramp just to check the tide and see what was there. It was interesting to see what had changed, and reassuring to see what was still the same. The house on the corner would maybe get a new porch swing, but the oyster shell wall would still have the secret hole you could hide stuff in.

After spending some time in a place, the familiarity would lead to a sense of belonging. I had found my place at the boat ramp and its secret hiding place.

Often, after making those connections, I would wonder, would I ever be here again? For each place, each visit could have been the last visit, and I sometimes lingered in that place, wondering if it would be the last visit.

On my daily ride into the office, I sometimes vary my route just so I can visit some of those places, see what has changed, and see what is still the same. And then, I'll get off the bike, and linger.