This is a lightning whelk: humble mollusk, and expert at inhabiting its story.
This creature spends its entire life fused to its shell. It is born with it. It grows with it. Its lines and layers store the dynamic memories of a simple life. And when its life here is finished, it leaves behind this beautiful story filled dwelling in the ocean. Or if I’m lucky, it makes its way to the edge of the surf – like this one did – where my hands, sticky with salt air, reach down to gather it. And I appreciate its story anew.
For Steve and I, this precious heirloom of the sea rolled in on a wave and inspired the birth of something brand new. Later that day, as we sat pondering its whorled beauty on the edge of the Atlantic, it became witness to the first time we spoke the words, “Inhabit your story.”
You see, even though it is just a humble thing, this mollusk embodies our belief about what “home” should be and do:
It fits in every way. At birth, the mollusk fits into its shell with exquisite perfection. It has room for every function, and can nestle snugly into its spiral channel with ease. Its polished inner layer contrasts with the rough exterior, and allows it to move freely between inside and outside life. A perfectly aligned door closes behind it when it retreats into its recessed halls. We believe your home should be just the same – expressing in its forms and features the story of the flow of your life. You might think that as an architect, Steve only focuses on the exterior pieces of a dwelling. Not so. Like the mollusk, he takes great care in designing the refined interior elements that allow a natural flow from one space to the next, and can move you from one emotion to the next. It might surprise you to learn, as you follow along, how small choices – made with care – can have the very same impact.
Its small beginnings remain central. At the very top point of this home’s spiral, you will see it’s shiny start in life. It may be very different in makeup from the minerals in the rest of the shell, if it began in an environment unlike that in which it spent the remainder of its life. Yet, its tiny beginning – the shell it was born with – is fused seamlessly to the beautiful whole. And it stands confidently at the peak of the shell. We believe every home should contain such a central reminder of our own small beginnings. However we may have changed along the way, humble beginnings were the starting point that led us to where we are today.
It stores memories. The whelk bears calcified scars and jagged edges. It boasts of unevenly spaced knobs and ridges ground by the sandy waves. These are not imperfections that it seeks to cover up, but a part of its life story that makes it all the more alluring and unique. So, too, should our homes be allowed to store memories of all kinds, with such captivating beauty.
It adds depth as it matures. Whelk shells, like many other mollusks, thicken as they grow. In that way, they remain proportionally strong as the tender creature inside matures. Nothing is lost, and nothing is discarded as it grows. Only depth is added. That’s how it is with you, too. Regardless of the circumstances under which your story was forged, every year adds greater depth and maturity. We believe your home should reflect that. And celebrate it.
It has a growing edge. Every ridge on this stunning abode is formed as a result of growth. Against the old edge it seams another stripe, year after year, building more when the food is plentiful and the waters are warm, and layering narrow bands of new hues when the water is cold and the growth is slow. Our story is ever changing, because we are ever learning and growing. We are dynamic. That is what makes this humble creature so beautiful. And those parts of your story – the ebb and flow of change – are what make your story so beautiful as well.
Learning to Inhabit Your Story
The first steps on this journey are not about deciding new paint colors or purchasing a new decorative item. They are about taking a thoughtful step back, to see your story and the ways it is already being expressed. This week, look at your surroundings afresh. Think about the places that your home fits you best, and why. Look for evidence of your humble beginnings, and places where your home has stored memories – scars and jagged edges are allowed. Look for reminders of how far you’ve come, and all the ways you’ve matured and changed since setting out on your own. And ponder the place you are growing in life; this is your growing edge.
Home is where we celebrate these things.Home is where we honor these things.Home is the place we tell our stories.And the place we go to be reminded of who we really are.
Thank you, gentle sea creature, for this lesson on a story well-inhabited.
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Show images of examples of the above (how your home stores the memories – scratches, imperfections
