Cro, at Magnon's Meanderings
has recently put up a post about his wild and woolly
days renting flats in London in the 60's.
Crazy times of living in less-than-desirable
conditions, but with utter, complete, beautiful freedom.
It occurs to me...
I have never had a room of my own!
I left our family home,
where I had (happily) shared a room with V.
to go live with and eventually marry, Rudy.
He and I have shared (many) spaces since...
but I have never had a room with my signature/style
stamped securely on it.
I raise this because, on the way home tonight,
I listened to a report on the CBC radio show,
As It Happens, that spoke about a British study
that has followed 5,000 people born in the first week of March 1949
for the past 65 years. Gathering information about every detail of their lives,
economic, family, education, work experience, they have put together
a composite of what and how experiences shaped their lives.
a composite of what and how experiences shaped their lives.
When asked what she would garner as one important, summarial fact,
an 'expert' on the study said:
"CHILDHOOD MATTERS".
I don't know if it was important that I didn't have my own room.
Goodness knows, some kids today don't even have their own pair of shoes,
but for some reason this resonates with me.
I don't know if it was important that I didn't have my own room.
Goodness knows, some kids today don't even have their own pair of shoes,
but for some reason this resonates with me.
I've had a number of rooms; some of my own, some shared. I've never thought to have one "with my signature/style stamped securely on it." I've always thought that a room was a room, to be celebrated in and by its functionality.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm not so sure. If "a thing of beauty is a joy forever," as Keats observed, perhaps I should think a bit more about beauty in my room/s.
Strange that it should take me this long to figure that out.
Hi jaqueline, it is the same for me i follow Cro and left a comment almost the same as you, never had my own room and I would just love it,but would not trade my hubby, I guess it just matters somewhere deep inside, we were always well cared for and I desperately wanted to feel grown up in my teen years and was not allowed to have that growth,it just feels like I missed something...never mind our children got to experience it all good and bad lol..have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteJ., you have a room of your own!
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen!
I'm not sure I've ever seen Brilliant Husband in there!
Just kidding!...but I do have to admit it must be quite wonderful to have a room of your own, just the way the want it!
I have the first part of that sentence, but I've never had the second part, I never have truly had a room exactly the way I want it, I think it's due partly to hanging on to stuff from the past that I'm not ready to part with yet even though it's not quite the 'look' I want, which then supports the part of me that doesn't want to spend any money redecorating.
J - I love your blog posts as always. I find by reading other people's blogs what different lives we all live. I had a room of my own from about 13years onwards, but I was also keeping house for my father as there were only the two of us. I'm chuntering on a bit this morning (sorry!) When I read Cro's post I started feeling a bit sorry for myself :( in that I missed out on the wild oats bit of living like you do when you're and single and carefree. But when I think about it, I have been so lucky and had so many good things in life I can't even begin to count them all! Having both you and Victoria for friends are two of them.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline....I also shared a room. There were 4 of us, 2 girls 2 boys, and for some reason I shared with the boys. My mother does not remember why? I am a bit controlling of the rooms in our house. My husband keeps saying, "I want one room to be mine".
ReplyDeleteI do remember I hated sharing a room, and was thrilled when one of them moved out to free up my space.
I see in decorating that paople do not want their kids sharing a room. They moved to bigger houses. I am heading over to read Cro's post now.
Finally, when I was twelve, I got a room of my own. It is important to have your own space.
ReplyDeleteEven now,I don't really have a room of my own.
Well, I paint and make jewelry in the laundry room. But, after thirty something years, I am about to have my own again. We are redoing an old house at the back of the property and I will have my own room!
Hahaha V. You are right...how silly of me not to think the kitchen is mine!
ReplyDeleteNot strange Miss S. we all come to things at the right moment in our lives.
As the study observer said Blessed Life, Childhood matters. I think it important to examine what when on then, how it affects who we are today, and then let it go!
Same for you too Molly...all those years spent taking care of yourself and your Dad made you the person you are today. What you had and what you missed out on needs to be acknowledged and named. When we can do this, we can move on.
I've always wondered about decorators Chania. When you decorate someone else's space, how do you make it theirs. I know I would leave a part of me in every space I worked on...it would be so hard to give that up. We have friends who moved from overseas where they had always decorated their own places, back to the US where they hired a professional. When I went to their home, as stunning as it was, it didn't feel anything like the two people I knew. Strange.
I'm excited for the Jilda...am loving the progress you and Rick are making on the old house.
I think I'm from the camp that believes in the importance of children sharing a room. I shared a room with both my sister and my brother at different times throughout my childhood. I can remember the fights of course, we really could go at it, but I also have fond memories of us staying up late in to the night, taking turns telling each other how we would spend a million dollars if we were ever lucky enough to win it. I'm close with both of my siblings to this day and like to think that there is a correlation. My two boys share a room, though isn't any other option in the home we are in, and I don't think I would have it any other way. At least for the time being :)
ReplyDeleteJac - thank you so much for your wise words - they helped a lot - I'm back right up there again now :0)
ReplyDeleteBeing an only child, I've always had a room of my own, but I would have loved to have had a sister to share it with. I'm fortunate now to have a room of my own, it's a work in progress but I love it and am so thankful for it.
ReplyDeleteHere's to you having your own very special room one day J, chandelier and all.
And yes...childhood matters!!!
xo J~
J
ReplyDeletewe all need a place to hide all of their own.........I have the old turkey house
I have sat in it on numerous occassions with boris in tow..... just being alone.....
thank you for being so sweet
jx
trish...I am sure your boys are going to have wonderful memories of sharing...and that's just the point, it's all about the sharing. V and I 'shared' space, and it was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteInteresting perspective Jessica. What happens when there is no one to share with???
Oh John...I can only imagine you and boris in the turkey house...sounds chilly!!!
Molly...you are such a darling...what more can I say.
I not only shared my room, but also my bed with my sister till I was 20 years old and she left to get married. I was so thrilled to have my own room for a few years till I also married. I would not change one minute of those 20 years. At night my older sister by 18 months told me stories and we shared our thoughts and fears and got through some difficult times together. That closeness is a treasure. My 3 girls also shared a room (son had his own room) and the closeness that they gained from that experience is precious. I am so glad I did not have 4 bedrooms. Having your own room is overrated.
ReplyDeleteThanks SOAC-M...V and I are 18 months apart too. I remember sharing a bed with older sister Lynne and Victoria just after our family was evacuated after the London floods of 1953. We lived in that pre-fab house for about 5 years.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why this resonates so much with me. More about life after growing up than childhood I think. Hubby has some very definite points of view about decorating and I just go along...perhaps it's time not to do that anymore!