Bittersweet Sounds of Home

One of the bittersweet parts of my dissertation research is that I’m continuously reminded of or encountering things that remind me of my childhood homeland: Northwestern Pennsylvania, namely Cook Forest State Park and the forests of the region.

I stumbled on this video today. Ignoring the narrator, I closed my eyes and took in the sounds of the forest, my forest, and was transported back in time. And it hurt. It always hurts, to come so close to a part of one’s self that is in the past.

Alas, here I am sitting on the Canadian Prairies. I suppose I should be thankful that I have something in my life that can elicit such bittersweetness.

Published by Jessica M. DeWitt

Dr. Jessica M. DeWitt is an environmental historian of Canada and the United States. She is passionate about the use of digital technologies to bridge the gap between the public and researchers. In addition to her community and professional work, she offers various editing and social media consultancy services. View more posts