Time Traveling in Savannah

 

Why do humans like old things?  Things with a history?

The love for history was always in me, but I was the kid in school who's least favorite subject was History.  All the dates, the memorization, the tests.  It was hard to see the story and so I assumed I didn't like history. 

Yet, I was always drawn to the items in my abuelitas' houses.  Later, it was antique stores, the search at The Goodwill.  Touching the items, seeing how they were used, who may have used them, the house they were in.  I could and still can spend hours in a second hand store.  It's as if the store holds a magic to the past and the future.  

I saw a picture of my self the other day and I had aged.  My sunspots and wrinkles.  I thought to myself "your beautiful.  Whoa your aging." and said to Bren, "we're growing old together."  Not something I take for granted.  I will be the woman with a full head of gray hair.  I just like old things. 

Naturally, when I visited the old city of Savannah GA, I fell in love with the Historic District and bought a vacation house.  (where I currently write this post). The city felt as if the antique stores had come to life.  And I was there.  Touching it.  Walking on the same stone that others before me walked hundreds of years ago.  I could see the past and the future a little bit more.  

I connect to most of the pieces in my home and that brings me joy.  From the ornate rugs in my bathroom, to the art on my walls as I make my way to the kitchen.  Even my green stone countertops I gaze at and touch when I make my morning latte.  As a kid, my mom would enjoy painting and sculpting clay.  I remember when she was in artist mode, she was transformed to a peaceful place.  I'm not sure if I was drawn to art first or if the sate she was in when she was in her art world drew me in.  My dad on the other hand was a real estate agent who was handy and could engineer almost anything to make it work.  He was the king of "si se puede"  The love for Real Estate and art came together.  I love that I get to shop antique stores, buy pieces I connect with and add it to our vacation home and call it work.  I like to touch the inside of the walls as I think of the times and who built it. 

As I think about history and the future, I reflect on the transition we are in.  

I remember graduating college and feeling lost.  What did I want to do?  I remember crying outside my sorority house under a tree.  Thinking I had to have it figured out.  I can look back now and see I didn't have a specific focus and yet my passions in life and for life are creating a beautiful one, with the guidance of sacred divinity.  Turns out we are ever-evoloving.  I also remember thinking Brendan had it easier, knowing exactly what he wanted to do - be a firefighter.  I now see it's not easy to work years towards your childhood dream and then realize it doesn't align with the life you want.  Turns out, as we grow, so does our dream.  We are ever-evolving.  They both have their challenges, just different.  

Humans are different and that is beautiful.  We don't agree on everything, we have different dreams.  Being engulfed in the history of the south, humans can also be ugly and mean.  We are not perfect, but every generation gets a chance to evolve.  Love is the way forward.  

I think humans are drawn to history because it gives us a look into the past, while having empathy for the present and hope for the future.  History shows us that we can evolve.