This post is not just about Philadelphia, but it is a little sentimental. This post is really about place, and what makes a place. I’ve recently returned home to Philadelphia to visit my family and celebrate my mother’s birthday, giving rise to a number of thoughts on what makes a place.
I realized immediately that I wanted to put my thoughts into words when I walked up to the gate at DIA and saw the word “Philadelphia”. Just the word gives me comfort; I like the way it’s spelled, the way it sounds, and all the memories it conjures. This is when I realized that place is more than a location. Place is all the experiences, smells, tastes, sights, and sounds. Place is love lost and love found, lessons learned, laughter and tears. Place is a movie and blanket on a cold day in your downtown apartment; place is a kiss on Walnut Street; place is children’s laughter on an early fall day in Rittenhouse Square. Read the rest of this entry »