Stephanie, you are brilliant! What an amazing perspective and very accurate description of Sedona, both how we remember it, and how it is now. Using your Dad's images (himself an incredible photographer) is a wonderful way to accent the article as well. I look forward to reading more of your work.
I know of Sedona from friends and realtives that have visited. Thanks for sharing, it was an enjoyable read. Seeing it through your story and your father's images was as though one could envision having been there...
Ah, I miss the good old days. My parents built a small cabin in Sedona in the 70s and I logged time there in every decade since. And now have retired 25 miles down the road. There are things I still love about Sedona, but since it has become timeshare heaven we must plan our visits with surgical precision to avoid horrendous traffic. It's like going to see Barry Manilow today; don't look or listen too closely if you heard him in his prime.
Dear Stephanie, what memories and joy this piece brought. Especially when I got to the photo your dad took of the Chapel of the Holy Cross. We lived in Phoenix from 1955-58 and I remember some very distinct images from that time—especially going to this chapel. I was 6-7 years old and it was all so different and wonderful, coming from and returning to Chicago. No confusion about which memories are from which place! Thank you for a lovely start to my day!
I visited Sedona for the first time earlier this year and it definitely felt "beautiful but evil," largely due to the kind of tourism it attracts. I'm glad I stayed outside of town and drove in to experience its geological beauty without having to be enmeshed in all of the cultural theft and nonsense. I think this is the best way to experience Sedona if you're not its target audience because it still is incredibly beautiful but its clientele can be a bit obnoxious. I vibed more with Jerome, Cottonwood, and Flagstaff. I'm sure the town itself was even more incredible before the mass tourism took it over, as is the case with pretty much anywhere that loses itself to visitors. Like, yeah, having Sedona as your regular hometown, at a time when it felt 'lived in' rather than passed through, must've been utterly divine for those who were lucky enough to experience it.
One of my high school buddies messaged me yesterday and said he found this article via his stepmom who sent it to him randomly--he was like "I went to high school with the writer!" He lived in Sedona and said there were only 4k people there when he was growing up.
Stephanie, you are brilliant! What an amazing perspective and very accurate description of Sedona, both how we remember it, and how it is now. Using your Dad's images (himself an incredible photographer) is a wonderful way to accent the article as well. I look forward to reading more of your work.
I know of Sedona from friends and realtives that have visited. Thanks for sharing, it was an enjoyable read. Seeing it through your story and your father's images was as though one could envision having been there...
Ah, I miss the good old days. My parents built a small cabin in Sedona in the 70s and I logged time there in every decade since. And now have retired 25 miles down the road. There are things I still love about Sedona, but since it has become timeshare heaven we must plan our visits with surgical precision to avoid horrendous traffic. It's like going to see Barry Manilow today; don't look or listen too closely if you heard him in his prime.
Dear Stephanie, what memories and joy this piece brought. Especially when I got to the photo your dad took of the Chapel of the Holy Cross. We lived in Phoenix from 1955-58 and I remember some very distinct images from that time—especially going to this chapel. I was 6-7 years old and it was all so different and wonderful, coming from and returning to Chicago. No confusion about which memories are from which place! Thank you for a lovely start to my day!
I'm so glad it connected with you, Kathleen!
I visited Sedona for the first time earlier this year and it definitely felt "beautiful but evil," largely due to the kind of tourism it attracts. I'm glad I stayed outside of town and drove in to experience its geological beauty without having to be enmeshed in all of the cultural theft and nonsense. I think this is the best way to experience Sedona if you're not its target audience because it still is incredibly beautiful but its clientele can be a bit obnoxious. I vibed more with Jerome, Cottonwood, and Flagstaff. I'm sure the town itself was even more incredible before the mass tourism took it over, as is the case with pretty much anywhere that loses itself to visitors. Like, yeah, having Sedona as your regular hometown, at a time when it felt 'lived in' rather than passed through, must've been utterly divine for those who were lucky enough to experience it.
Isn't Jerome a trip?! Thanks for your note.
One of my high school buddies messaged me yesterday and said he found this article via his stepmom who sent it to him randomly--he was like "I went to high school with the writer!" He lived in Sedona and said there were only 4k people there when he was growing up.