Becoming Quote by N. Scott Momaday
“There is a great good in returning to a landscape that has had extraordinary meaning in one's life. It happens that we return to such places in our minds irresistibly. There are certain villages and towns, mountains and plains that, having seen them walked in them lived in them even for a day, we keep forever in the mind's eye. They become indispensable to our well-being; they define us, and we say, I am who I am because I have been there, or there.”
About This Quote
Source Book: House Made of Dawn, 1968
Returning to meaningful landscapes leaves lasting mental images that shape identity and well‑being; these places become essential to who we are.
In simple terms: Places we love shape our identity and health.
Key Takeaway
Visit or recall meaningful places to nurture self.
Themes
place
memory
identity
Mood
nostalgic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- travel
- therapy
- creative writing
- heritage preservation
Key Concepts
psychology of place
environmental attachment
Questions to Reflect On
- What landscape defines you?
- How can you keep its memory alive?
A Different Perspective
May idealize places, ignoring negative aspects.
