---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Construed as turf, home just seems a…"
description: "\"Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a designation you make upon a place, not one it makes on you. A certain set of buildings, a gli..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png"
---

#  Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a…

![“Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a designation you make upon a place, not one it makes on you. A certain set of buildings, a glimpsed, smudged window-view across a schoolyard, a musty aroma sniffed behind a garage when you were a child, all of which come crowding in upon…” quote by Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png)

> “Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a designation you make upon a place, not one it makes on you. A certain set of buildings, a glimpsed, smudged window-view across a schoolyard, a musty aroma sniffed behind a garage when you were a child, all of which come crowding in upon your latter-day senses -- those are pungent things and vivid, even consoling. But to me they are also inert and nostalgic and unlikely to connect you to the real, to that essence art can sometimes achieve, which is permanence.”

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It reflects on how places we associate with childhood become nostalgic but may not capture true artistic permanence.

**In simple terms:** Childhood places are nostalgic but not permanent.

Key Takeaway

Seek lasting meaning beyond nostalgia.

Themes

nostalgia place artistic permanence

Mood

nostalgic contemplative

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- creative inspiration

Key Concepts

memory environment identity

Questions to Reflect On

- Do memories of places shape your art?
- Can nostalgia hinder authentic expression?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Aroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aroma/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Consoling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consoling/) [Construed Turf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construed-turf-3214970/) [Designation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designation/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Essence Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence-art-1101050/) [Garage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garage/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Latter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter/) [Latter days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter-days/) [Nostalgic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgic/) [Permanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanence/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Senses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senses/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Turf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turf/) [Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Vivid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid/) [Vivid Consoling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid-consoling-3214971/) [Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window/)

## Related quotes

> [The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-essence-of-all-art-is-to-have-pleasure-in-giving-pleasure/)

[Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/)

> [ “It is the very essence of art,' she \[Hallie Flanagan:\] told a group gathered in Washington . . ., 'that it exceed bounds, often… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-quinn/it-is-the-very-essence-of-art-she-hallie-flanagan-told-a-group/)

[Susan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-quinn/)

> [“What is the essence of the art of writing? Part One: Have something to say. Part Two: Say it well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/what-is-the-essence-of-the-art-of-writing-part-one-have-something-to/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [The essence of art that is at all noble is the DREAM, and this dream dwells only upon what is distant, absent, vanished, unattainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-rodenbach/the-essence-of-art-that-is-at-all-noble-is-the-dream-and-this-dream/)

[Georges Rodenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-rodenbach/)

> [Zen in it's essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one's being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-suzuki/zen-in-it-s-essence-is-the-art-of-seeing-into-the-nature-of-one-s/)

[D.T. Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-suzuki/)

> [“Literature is an art, and the essence of all art is mood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-de-madariaga/literature-is-an-art-and-the-essence-of-all-art-is-mood/)

[Salvador de Madariaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-de-madariaga/)

> [“The essence of art is that its one case applies to thousands,' knew Schopenhauer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-essence-of-art-is-that-its-one-case-applies-to-thousands-knew/)

[alain de botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/)

> [We ordinary people must forge our own beauty. We must set fire to the greyness of our labor with the art of our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenji-miyazawa/we-ordinary-people-must-forge-our-own-beauty-we-must-set-fire-to-the/)

[Kenji Miyazawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenji-miyazawa/)

> [“Early in this century a group of passionate artists in Russia claimed that the essence of art was to make the familiar seem strange.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sueellen-campbell/early-in-this-century-a-group-of-passionate-artists-in-russia-claimed/)

[Sueellen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sueellen-campbell/)

> [Allah is in Himself the non-being and the being, the inexistent and the existent. He is at the same time that which we designate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdelkader-el-djezairi/allah-is-in-himself-the-non-being-and-the-being-the-inexistent-and/)

[Abdelkader El Djezairi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdelkader-el-djezairi/)

> [Limiting the designation of marriage to a union 'between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional and must be stricken from the statute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-george/limiting-the-designation-of-marriage-to-a-union-between-a-man-and-a/)

[Ron George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-george/)

> [Having faith in the plan of salvation includes steadfastly refusing to be diverted from our true identities and responsibilities. In the brief season of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/having-faith-in-the-plan-of-salvation-includes-steadfastly-refusing/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [I do not suspect that Jefferson or Madison ever envisioned Congress honoring the 2,560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius or supporting the designation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/i-do-not-suspect-that-jefferson-or-madison-ever-envisioned-congress/)

[Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/)

> [“Hero' is not an official status or designation, but if the world recognize you as a hero, it is the highest honor you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/hero-is-not-an-official-status-or-designation-but-if-the-world/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [And Christ was born into the world as the literal Son of this Holy Being; he was born in the same personal, real, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/and-christ-was-born-into-the-world-as-the-literal-son-of-this-holy/)

[Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/)

## More by Richard Ford

> [Something will be there when the flood recedes. We know that. It will be those people now standing in the water, and on those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/something-will-be-there-when-the-flood-recedes-we-know-that-it-will/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [If you lose all hope, you can always find it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/if-you-lose-all-hope-you-can-always-find-it-again/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [I started reading literature at 17 or 18, and I felt this extra beat to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-started-reading-literature-at-17-or-18-and-i-felt-this-extra-beat/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [I don't hate children. My wife and I just didn't think we would be good parents, and also by the time we got married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-don-t-hate-children-my-wife-and-i-just-didn-t-think-we-would-be/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [Writing never came naturally and I still have to force my hand to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/writing-never-came-naturally-and-i-still-have-to-force-my-hand-to-do/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [“Conversations with adults other than a person's parents had more of an outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/conversations-with-adults-other-than-a-person-s-parents-had-more-of/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [Some people want to be bank presidents. Other people want to rob banks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/some-people-want-to-be-bank-presidents-other-people-want-to-rob-banks/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [In order to write novels for a living - it's not pathological, but I do think and worry and brood and fidget about stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/in-order-to-write-novels-for-a-living-it-s-not-pathological-but-i-do/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [There are more people in America that love guns and want guns for themselves and everyone else than there are not. It is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/there-are-more-people-in-america-that-love-guns-and-want-guns-for/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [That said, being dyslexic, I wasn't a great reader when I was kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-said-being-dyslexic-i-wasn-t-a-great-reader-when-i-was-kid/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [I'm an equal opportunity reader - although I don't much read plays. And since I was raised a Presbyterian, pretty much all pleasures are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-m-an-equal-opportunity-reader-although-i-don-t-much-read-plays-and/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [The pace of life feels morally dangerous to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-pace-of-life-feels-morally-dangerous-to-me/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [“to sit in the empty stands of a Florida ball park and hear the sounds of glove leather and chatter;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/to-sit-in-the-empty-stands-of-a-florida-ball-park-and-hear-the-sounds/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [“And what there is to learn from almost any human experience is that your own interests usually do not come first where other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/and-what-there-is-to-learn-from-almost-any-human-experience-is-that/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

> [“It was on such a night as this that the unhappy things came about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-was-on-such-a-night-as-this-that-the-unhappy-things-came-about/)

[Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

[Explore all 184 Richard Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

[Deon Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-taylor/)

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

[Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/)

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power &amp; movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

[Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a designation you make upon a place, not one it makes on you. A certain set of buildings, a glimpsed, smudged window-view across a schoolyard, a musty aroma sniffed behind a garage when you were a child, all of which come crowding in upon your latter-day senses -- those are pungent things and vivid, even consoling. But to me they are also inert and nostalgic and unlikely to connect you to the real, to that essence art can sometimes achieve, which is permanence.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Ford"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-provisional-claim-a-designation/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-provisional-claim-a-designation/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/richard-ford-2097_achieve_construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-prov_1957862.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Construed as turf, home just seems a provisional claim, a designation you make upon a place, not one it…” — Richard Ford",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard Ford",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Construed as turf, home just seems...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-provisional-claim-a-designation/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/construed-as-turf-home-just-seems-a-provisional-claim-a-designation/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
