BOWAworld

MEMORY LANE

by Eric Munter

Almost ten months to the day, I finally ended a streak. It was September 5th of 2012 when I said good-bye to my childhood home. I have made a consorted effort not to go anywhere near the are for the past ten months. But today, July 6th, I finally decided I was ready to visit the neighborhood that had been my home for twenty years.

And you know what? It was – it was relatively unremarkable. About two miles out, I was getting teary eyed, but then as a I turned down the street that led to my former home I felt a strange peace. Peace knowing that what was, was and what is is. I’m not sure if that makes any sense and I’m not sure if I’ve actually made sense of what I experienced today.

All I know is I was able to successfully go and “see” my old home and realize that it is nothing more than a structure. The memories I have which I thought were attached to the cement, wood and other building materials aren’t there. They are in my heart, mind and soul. I carry them with me every day of my life and I don’t need to see the house in order to relive them. I realized this today – and for that, I am thankful.