Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.” I like to think this room has a little of all three.
I often go to the gathering room in our carriage house to read quietly and, truth be told, for the occasional power nap. There’s something about the room that makes you want to settle in and stay awhile. Add a friend for tea or coffee, and it becomes a lovely place for a private chat or meeting of the minds. And then there’s society, when the room fills with guests for our Tahilla Gatherings. We managed fifteen people in September. A little cozy, perhaps, but the conversation flowed!
Having spent thirty years living overseas, I’ve collected my fair share of paintings, furniture, books, and all sorts of things along the way. This room is filled with them. Little chapters of our life scattered here and there, each with a story of its own.
But more than anything, I think about the conversations. The stories shared, the laughter, the unexpected connections, and those moments when someone says something that stays with you long after everyone has gone home.
