This weekend I helped my father clean out his childhood home. It was an emotional end to a 50+ year relationship with the house. He is the youngest and final remnant of their tight knit five-person family. As we entered we were welcomed with familiar scents that transcend my lifetime and trace back to a time where my father was taking his first steps. A wooden spoon and empty cabinet is all that is left of my old kitchen floor drum set. The house felt empty and the air was still.
He sees the reflection of a younger self and a living room full of familiar faces. (Thirds Composition)
Looking out the window where he remembers seeing the neighborhood kids on bikes insisting that he come out and play. (Symmetry Composition)
One final proud look at the back porch he and his brother built one summer in their twenties. (Open Composition)
Every stair groaned as we walked up to his room. He pulled out board games, flipped through composition books, and took a step back admiring the wall that had all his friends’ names on it. He reminisced of parties, sneaking out, and all the fun times had.
Leaving behind his bedroom of nearly twenty years. (Closed Composition)
A house is so much more than boards and nails; it is the backdrop of one’s life, the string that sews families together, and a beacon of comfort. It is not easy to say goodbye but it is time for this house to serve another family for lifetimes to come.
One last look at a life left behind. (Closed Composition)