Same Place, Different Me . . .

"My future starts when I wake up every morning." - Miles Davis

I think that for those of us who moved away from the stomping grounds of our youth. Those local towns that formed the backdrop of our early years, are remembered in various ways. Some remember them with nostalgia, some with a relief at being away from them, and others with indifference.

Over the years I have felt all three. My family still live in the surrounding areas of what was once my local town, and although I visit often to see them, it has been years since I walked around the town centre. In fact the route I took last time I did, just reinforced my preconceptions of it being a little run down and somewhere I was glad I was away from.

Not so this week, when we needed to visit the old town.

In keeping with our new 'tourist days out' ethos, we took a walk around the scenic parts of the town centre and I can honestly say, I was totally wowed. Places I knew, but hadn't looked at for many years suddenly became clear in their splendour! - Especially the Guildhall . . .

It is an amazing building and these few photos don't do it full justice. Many years ago I actually worked in an office there and had the privilege to explore the place from the inside. I've searched for files in the basement and explored the corridors, but strangely it took me until now to truly appreciate and experience the magnificence of the place.

On with our walk. I was pleased to see that they had kept the old phone boxes. So many places have got rid of them these days. I think they are wonderful. They bought back memories of all of the times I stood in them ringing for a taxi.

On to the market square and the new water feature, something I hadn't seen before.

If it had been there in my day, I am sure my lunch breaks would have been spent sitting on the benches watching the water sparkle and listening to it splash!

Do you see the animal profile beginning to appear in this water jet?

Then something I had glimpsed from a distance, but really wanted to see close up. . .

The steel sculpture called Discovery commemorates the life of Francis Crick, (a local man and one of the scientists who discovered the double helix structure of DNA.)

I loved it! Seeing those figures soaring up into the blue sky was wonderful.

So, I came away feeling so glad that I had seen the old place with new eyes, and that like me the place had evolved. Keeping hold of the good old things that gave it structure - but adding a little sparkling water and those joyous figures playing up there in the clouds!


A question for you. - Do you still live in the place you grew up? Do you visit it now? How do you feel about your home town? Nostalgic? or are you glad to be away?

Thought of the week
"Until we can understand the assumptions in which we are drenched
we cannot know ourselves." - Adrienne Rich

So, what did you see this week? Please come and join us and leave a link to one of your blog posts at I Saw Sunday! Click HERE to visit - We will make you very welcome, I promise. :-)

I am linking this post to week 50 of I Saw Sunday

The place is Northampton and all images are by me - Susannah Bec.