A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away) I was married in a castle – really. And this castle was in my actual hometown of Jamestown, NC. At the time in 2002, Castle McCulloch, an operational mining castle at one time, wasn’t on a lot of people’s radar, yet. But the locals knew about it, and gratefully I was one.
It meant a lot to be married in the town where I grew up in a place of historical significance. Of course, I wasn’t a placemaker yet – I was still about 6 months away from completing my doctorate. But even then, being in a place that felt like home (was home, really) and where I felt I belonged was important to me on this day. I loved I could easily return to the spot whenever I wanted. Which is exactly what we did when Grace (my daughter) was about two years old.
If you’ve read my book, Place Match, you know the rest of the story and why it is now a place of bittersweet memories for me. But looking back, I know why things turned out the way they did. Without everything that happened, there wouldn’t have been Grace. And as I say in the book’s dedication, without Grace the best me would have never happened. Life can be a series of chain reactions sometimes that we don’t understand at the time, but if you wait long enough you’ll see the big picture and the role that place played in getting you there.
If you are ever in the Jamestown/High Point, NC area, I suggest you stop by the Castle McCulloch. It is truly a magical place. And the house I grew up in, where my parents still live, is just minutes away.
