26 Comments
Oct 4, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

I love this reflection on home, something I often think about. I also love the music of your prose.

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Oct 11, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

You are the best!

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Hard to read this piece. We so miss home. It is a garden in more ways than one . . .

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Well, I see those in the know call you ‘Betsy’, so I hope you will give me permission to join them but Elizabeth will do just as well. After your ‘like’ on substack, I have taken the liberty of searching you out and here I am reading you for the first time, in not the best of circumstances for you, but what you say has a resonance which can be heard and empathised with a continent away. Your chosen title says it all. I have a blog called mywembley.blogspot.com about where I grew up and lived the first 22 years of my life. Of those days, which ended 55 years ago, what remains is four friendships and we are now spread across England, me the link in the chain. How that happened I have yet to work out. I can see and hear your dad. I have sent a link your post to my half-sister Roz. Maybe you have prompted a substack podcast. Than you. Take care. Stay safe.

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Oct 6, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

Hi Betsy, Thank you for this piece. It is truly beautiful in so many ways. I am so sorry. I know that you must miss your father so much. May you continue to find comfort in those beautiful memories.

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Hi Betsy, I loved this Spark piece. There's so much nostalgia here in this beautiful writing. One of the theme of my memoir was the questions: what is "home." At least I thought that was the theme for awhile. That word..."home" evokes such layered emotions and memories. Thank you for this.

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Oct 3, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

Elizabeth, you need to be tired more often. This is a wonderful post! :)

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I loved this post. And needed it today. We too lived and raised our daughter until she was 13 in MA and had a weekend home in NH near the White Mountains. When she was 13 we moved to Park City UT. It was like another planet. We are still here but she is in college in a lovely town called Golden, outside of Denver, Colorado. She definitely struggles with the concept of home. Utah was never home to her. We also spent a lot of time in PA as my husband’s family and some of my old friends live there. This week my MIL died from ALS at age 84. So we are all headed to PA for the funeral. It will be the first time our daughter has been there since 2012. I had been back recently with my husband to see his mom and I was floored with all the memories. I my anxious to see if our daughter feels the same connection. Of course she will be surrounded by family and friends, so she will feel that connection as well. Home has so many meanings. It transcends place and time.

I’m sorry about your father. It’s never easy to lose a parent.

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Oct 2, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

Gorgeous reflection on home. Loving the personal layers you share. Thank you, Betsy!

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Oct 2, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

Beautiful and evocative imagery, Betsy. I’m so sorry for your loss, and grateful for your generosity in sharing this story. I also grew up on the east coast and migrated here in my 20s. I’ve never fully felt part of this place or that.

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Oct 2, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

Great post, you touched on many familiar feelings of going home.

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Oct 2, 2021Liked by Elizabeth Marro

This post is so beautiful.

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this piece is beyond reflective in its unsparing glimpse of love and loss - hugs for your courage, Betsy.

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