Thursday, November 20, 2008

Photostory Friday: The Roads that take us Home...

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek




Bear with me, everything makes me reflective, this time of year.




A road is a funny thing. Each one leads to somewhere, and away from somewhere else. The difference between the two, is the direction the traveler is moving. 

Thanksgiving is the great traveling holiday. I always think about roads at Thanksgiving. It must have something to do with that song "Over the river and through the woods (to Grandmother's house we go)." 

When I was young, we were always on the road to my grandma's house each Thanksgiving, and there was a portion of the highway that ran over the Ogden River, and through a small stretch of "woods." We could NEVER pass that place without someone mentioning that song. To this day, I can't pass that stretch of road without thinking of the song. I still feel compelled to mention it too. 

Roads lead us to many places -- to school, to work, to our wedding, to the place of our birth and the birth of our children,  and to the place of our final rest. Some roads take us to places we should not go, and some lead us to sacred ground. 

I think about the roads I once took, to places that I haven't been in many years. I think about the roads I may travel someday, and the roads that lead to places I may never see, but maybe my children will. 




I know it's a cliche, but for me, at Thanksgiving, all roads lead home. Home is more than a structure, more than an address. Home is love and joy and acceptance -- at least it should be. Home is where you want to be, more than anywhere else on Earth. 





So here's to the roads you'll travel this Thanksgiving.

May they be beautiful. 

May they be safe. 

May they lead you home, wherever that is.

Happy Thanksgiving. 

48 comments:

Cecily R said...

I love your reflectiveness. And your photos. They both make me happy.

I know exactly the stretch of Over The River Road you're talking about. And that is EXACTLY what it is.

Oh, and home is never cliche.

Kat said...

Just lovely.
And that last shot is absolutely amazing!

Alex @ I'm the Mom said...

Absolutely beautiful. I always love reading your entries including your reflectives posts.

Rachel said...

Gorgeous shots -- and, everyone should be reflective at some point. . . if nothing else, it makes for a beautiful blog post. ;)


PSF - My Brush with Crabs

Wendelyn DeMoss said...

I love those road pictures! I took alot of them on our trip to Yellowstone, so many great backdrops from the road. I loved this post!

Straight to Your Hart said...

Well said. Not cliche at all.

Great photos to correlate with your always mezmerizing words..

CC said...

Wow. Those road shots amaze.

And the traveling wishes are wonderful. If only we were traveling!

Lindsay said...

You have some of the greatest pictures!

That's the big thing I love about Thanksgiving: traveling to see family. We've usually gone to my grandparents, who are getting pretty old now, and the thoughts of the day when we won't have that chance make me very sad.

Lindsay said...

I love that last pic - beautiful. Awesome reflective post. And coming from KS, I have to say it:

There's no place like home.

Anonymous said...

Lovely thoughts, and lovely pictures too.

Laura said...

Roads lined with trees is one of my favorite things...Any season of the year!!

Lori of I'm no super Mom said...

Beautiful reflection and photos!

Mamarazzi said...

basking in your awesomeness!!

what a lovely post. Home!

AND as i was reading i got a notice that you were commenting over at my place. cooool!

Corey~living and loving said...

Blog post just don't get any better than this. WOW! Thank you for touching my heart.
Happy PSF!

Lynn said...

This is a very nice post. Really heartwarming.

Juliana said...

love ur post....the photos also great.

My PSF entry this week : in HERE. Hope you have time to visit . Thanks

photomommy said...

You're posts always make me teary. Beautiful. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!

Unknown said...

Great post. :) We will be literally on the road later today to go 'home', seeing family we left in Missouri. :)

Anonymous said...

BEAUTIFUL shots! And such a right-on post. It made me stop and think for a minute, on this busy work morning, about the roads my life has taken me on (and it also reminded me of a brief paragraph or two I wrote about after my father died...where his "road of life" had taken him). Thanks for reminding me!

tiarastantrums said...

beautiful - so true . . . I could find my way to my grandmothers house(in another state) and I have not been there in over 20 years!

Steph said...

You're such a good writer!
We always sing that song on Thanksgiving too.
Good job, you brought tears to my eyes. :)

Rachael Schirano \\ Rachael Schirano Photography said...

what a lovely post, your reflections are always so wonderful to read. and i love the photos!

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Beautiful photos and your thoughts are so true!

KATE said...

First, your photos are beautiful!

second, I don't think it's cliche at all! Love it!

KatieZ said...

SO I am seriously emotional after reading this post! Great pics too! I guess I am feeling really bad about being so far away from "home". Even tho I really am at home! Great job!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I love this observation Chris and I wish you and your family a healthy, happy Thanksgiving.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Your reflectiveness is reflecting off on me... that first shot reminds me of Cedar Breaks and the second, makes me think of Bryce canyon, which of course makes me melancholy...in a good way. What a gorgeous area you live in, thanks for sharing it, and what a FABULOUS family shot!

my word verification is squablat--that'd be a great post prompter.

david mcmahon said...

Lovely work, Chris. Roads make me deeply contemplative too.

Anonymous said...

BEAUTIFUL pictures! I just love that first paragraph. A very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Aaron said...

"Country roads, take me home...to the place, I belong, West Virgina, mountain mama, take me home, country roads....."

Fall always makes me think of John Denver, the leaves make me think of that song....although, I have been to West Virgina....certainly nothing I would call home....

Michelle said...

That was really deep! Our road to Grandma's was always through suburbia, so no over the river for us. :)

Beautiful post!

Robyn said...

A Happy Thanks giving to you too. Hopefully the roads that take you home are also safe.

Kellan said...

Thank you, Chris - may your roads be safe and lead you and your family to and through a happy holiday season! Those are lovely photos!

Take care - Kellan

Shellie said...

Beautiful! Just beautiful! Have a safe holiday too!

Unknown said...

Love the photos. Beautiful!!

Rachel said...

OHHHH! Right back at you!

May your Thanksgiving bring you peace, love, happiness and more gorgeous photos because those up there... are beautiful.

tommie said...

Those are the most amazing shots. I had tears in my eyes by the end.

I know that is the hardest thing about being a military family. Getting "home" doesn't always happen at the holidays.

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said...

Simply beuatiful. The pictures are all gorgeous!!

Danyele Easterhaus said...

great...love the roads i've travelled and i can't wait to see where i go with some new roads in the future...

Angela said...

Beautiful roads, beautiful sentiments and beautiful post. I love how you always think of the song going through that same stretch of road, funny how memory works that way. Thanks for visiting and happy PSF!

Brandy said...

Beautiful!

scrappysue said...

those pictures are gorgeous. happy thanksgiving to you

latree said...

thanksgiving, sounds like Iedul Fitri to me, leads us home...

Anonymous said...

Happy thanksgiving to you, too!

that girl said...

wow, thanks for the great post. may your holiday be one of all you wish for.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Every time I come by...you make me think! Thanks!

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Bren said...

Nope, home is never cliche. Your shots are amazing and as always, your words truly capture the moment as much as the photo does.

Anonymous said...

I love the fact that all Americans try to go home for Thanksgiving. The Chinese do that too, for New Year, millions travelling at the same time. Brilliant, and lovely evocative pictures too.

Congrats on POTD