honorable mention

"Anyways, I'm starting a website called the burning house, http://the-burning-house.com/, that showcases photos of the things people would take with them if their house was burning. what you bring is a conflict between the practical, valuable and sentimental. in a way, its an interview condensed into a photo and a list of things. I love your taste and would be thrilled if you contributed a photo. let me know if your interested,

foster"*

*so, i got this lovely email in may. i thought about it for a long, long time. (too long, but that is pretty par for the course; i have been called 'the girl who thinks too much' more than once.) when i was a kid, i'd lie in bed and prepare (see: royal tenebaums) for the moment when i had to grab my most important scrapbooks (my sister and i were- are?- big on scrapbooks), our cat, and- first and foremost- somehow make sure mom, dad and little sister were all out of the house... well, let me tell you: once you have babies, the scrapbooks and whatnot don't even register. it's all about getting the people out. stuff is just stuff.

anyway, i realized- a few days after i finally sent a photo to foster (not so long ago)- that there was really nothing practical in the picture (the photo at top is the photo in question; the other photo features sadie, who is actually quite practical). i guess that's the thing: the only stuff that matters would never be stuff, it would be people (and other creatures). still, just about everything in the picture means a small world to me: a lot of the stuff i care about in life is there (think morse code). it would take too long to try to explain. but they're all reminders of what's truly important. and the ring- that ring my best friend gave me (thirty years ago- how is that possible)- that ring means more than i ever figured anything could. because what it is is that you decide to stick to the path and move forward in life: you're young, it's not easy, you'll seriously disagree sometimes. but it's love.

and isn't love all? yes, i know i say that a lot. that, and this: where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. next time you think about a burning house, remember what we all leave with: only love. the rest is icing (i love icing). the rest is history. the rest is your story.

p.s. thanks, foster; it was an excellent thing to think about, especially for 8+ months. simply by asking a question you gave me more than i believe i can offer in return. my hat's off to you, my gratitude is sincere.

the burning house