Monday, September 18, 2006

Hauntings from My Past

What fragments of your past stay with you even though they seem insignificant?

I grew up in a small 3 bedroom house with my sister in Staten Island, NY that had a detached one car garage and finished basement. I lived there for 25 years. Even though most houses on the island had not much land, my childhood home was landscaped by my parents and we had lots of land. We had both a front lawn and a backyard which is very unusual for a Staten Island home.. We were very lucky that our dad was very handy and could repair or make things. He made us a little play house that we would often play in on weekends and after school. We would also swim in the pool or play on the swing set. We each had our own bedroom that was in the attic. The walls were arched like a triangle on two sides. We also had a hidden crawl space in the wall where we sometimes played and stored our toys and Christmas decorations. After I got married and moved out of the house my parents decided to sell the house I grew up in and move to a house on the water. They sold the house to a builder who knocked it down and placed 3 houses upon the land.

I have not visited my childhood home after they knocked it down. I guess I don't want to see the new houses where I used to live and want to remember the house as it was. However, to this day that house haunts me in my dreams. I do not dream of the house I live in now or the apartments that I lived in before this house. I always dream of my childhood house or my childhood room. One day I should return to where I grew up and maybe that would put a stop to the hauntings.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

What a tragedy that they had to tear it down just to put up three houses. Oh well. But it sounded like a wonderful home to grow up in.

loonyhiker said...

Keep your memories and remember the way it was. I went back to see my childhood home and I was so disappointed. I know changes had to happen but I didn't want them to happen. It would have been better for me not to have seen that.

Karen said...

Sounds like a great house to grow up in. And I think you're right not to go back. Sometimes that can be a bad thing.

Glynis said...

Wonderful post...childhood homes can be very powerful places in our memories.