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Guest Column

The Guest Room – Musings, Memories & Epiphanies Inspired by Place

“It is the mind which creates the world around us, and even though we stand side by side in the same meadow, my eyes will never see what is beheld by yours, my heart will never stir to the emotions with which yours is touched.”

–George Gissing, 1857 – 1903

The meaning of Place is as varied as we are at any given moment. It can inform our identity or represent our aspirations; it can serve as a sanctuary or a challenge; it can mean coming home or running away. Whether an old haunt or a dream destination, Place can be a catalyst for memories, change, renewal, reconciliation, and hope. Place can mean common ground or diverging paths, a fresh start or a return to one’s roots. Place can symbolize peace or adventure, wonder or affirmation. Place can incite or fulfill longing.

The very name of Place can be profoundly evocative–of an ideal, like Eden or Brigadoon; a moment in time, such as Woodstock or Waterloo; the human spirit, like Mount Everest or Ellis Island; or tragedy, such as Pompeii or Auschwitz.

It’s certainly true that our internal landscape has an influence on our impressions of Place—as in “wherever you go, there you are.” Yet a physical change of scenery can often provide much-needed distance and perspective to see anew an old problem or familiar situation. And, Place can sometimes call to the surface emotions that have long been dormant–it doesn’t necessarily take a Sedona vortex.

Since man’s earliest days as an upright being, we have been hard-wired to roam, and our ramblings have been characterized by curiosity and restlessness, combined with a desire to connect and communicate. We travel for myriad reasons, ranging from migrations and missions to caravans and crusades, pilgrimages and safaris to treks, walkabouts and wanderlust. Seeking is part of the human condition and we love to share news of our journeys, whether that transmission takes the form of cave paintings, the 230-foot Bayeux Tapestry, or grade school reports of “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.”

Some of the most magical and compelling figures in literature are those associated with epic journeys, both those wielding the pen and created by it–the Magi to Marco Polo, Beowulf to Bilbo Baggins, and Ulysses to Kerouac. Chances are that you, too, have a story of Place that either transformed or reassured you, made you laugh or cry, tested your resourcefulness or taught you something about yourself or others.

I welcome you to share your experience of the power of Place, whether your story takes the shape of a fable, an essay, or a travelogue. In keeping with the View’s “bread and butter,” please include a quote to accompany your piece, one that you feel captures the essence of your account. If you have visuals that can illustrate your musings, memories and epiphanies, so much the better.

I look forward to hearing your View from your Vantage Point. Please email your submission to guestroom@ViewfromthePier.com

Alas, ViewfromthePier has no budget to compensate for submissions–but is delighted to serve as a platform for the work of other writers and travellers!