182 Craigie Street

Greg's Thoughts:

To me, Home is where love resides and that love resides in many places. As a Shirley and Charlie dependent, it was Exeter St, Craigie St and Highland Lake/Lakeside. As the oldest of 7, I saw the family grow and grow. The sibling rivalry that was fun and challenging. I remember the love of parents that cared and loved each of us. I have many memories of each of the houses, times of crazy play and rules that had to be adhered to. But most of all, my memories of the fun, excitement and joy of Lakeside stick with me the most. The Beach, the rocks on the water front, water skiing, swimming, races to the raft, Forts in the tree forest and the mile of dirt road to the paved road. There are so many. Even today when I return to Maine, I am drawn to the lake. That is where Home was. The love of the family huddled together early in the morning burning trash to stay worm, running along the paths when the whistle was blown and the neighbors that look out for each other's kids. That was the love of Home. As wonderful as those times were, I moved on, eventually, and created another Home of love. The love of a family of my own which created a less selfish love. One of nurturing, sharing, caring and providing for your own and creating a home for my daughters. The true loves of my life. There is nothing like the moment you walk in the door and they run to greet you, they want to play, wrestle and laugh. That was the Home of a life time. It is where they created their own memories of their youth not the same as mine yet still their own beautiful, cherished memories of their youth and Home. Home changes as does time. We move on and pass that sharing of Home to the next generation and they to their next generation. Home is partly the construct of walls and space, but it is really defined by the people in that space. They are the Home that we all love so much. That can be any place. For me it was the houses of my youth, then the homes of my own and now the homes of my daughters, sisters and brother. I feel true, unconditional, love in all of those Homes. And it will go on and on. Home is where love resides.