Deeper Community Connection
As they learned of the history of their home, the couple began to feel more of a sense of belonging to their community too. They discussed the findings with neighbors and obtained tales about the former owners and what they did in and around the house. A few of the neighbors remembered playing in the backyard while still young or attending family gatherings in the house. Such memories added new layers to the understanding of the house’s legacy by the couple.
Through the neighbors’ stories, the couple learned to love the house and see it as part and parcel of the neighborhood. They realized they were part of a long string of people taking care of and treasuring that house. They could feel at home and had meaning because they felt they were participating in the preservation of a shared heritage.
It nudged the couple to host a hospitable open house where members of the community could visit and view the artifact. The party was a beautiful gathering laced with laughter, stories, and shared memories. It became a way of celebrating the history of the home because the neighbors admired the artifacts and shared stories about the house. The community loved how they could so freely share the tale of their home and feel the connection to the people around them that was more profound than what went on within the four walls of their own lives.
