If walls could talk, what would they say? Would we want them to recall the things we've seen and the memories we cherish? Or would we tremble in fear at the things we don't know and the secrets they could share?

They have seen it all. No one can hide from them and nobody tries. It can be a scary thought thinking about what these walls can share, but if we set aside our own pride that says MY secrets are the desired treasure of the world, maybe, just maybe we could see a much bigger picture.

Sure, most of our houses today would share family secrets and neighborhood dramas. But then again they only have a couple decades of stories to share. Can you imagine the stories that the walls within a plantation house several centuries old would have?  If they could talk, can you imagine the centuries of history they could share? Their stories would go beyond secrets of individuals and deceit in one's family. Their stories would not depict an individual or a family, they would depict the history of our nation.

We would hear stories of how plantations were run. We could understand the risk and reward of being the plantation owner or gardner or slave.  We would hear stories of how masters truly treated their slaves. We could understand the hierarchical system of the household, throughout the centuries. We could hear stories of why the plantations failed. We could hear stories of who had to join the civil war and the families torn over southern and northern ideals. They could share how the end of the war effected the people who lost loved ones and who lost what they were fighting for.

Can you picture what it was like to first turn the switch that brings light to an entire room by electricity? These walls could. Can you picture what it was like to first turn a knob that could fill a tub with water? These walls could. Can you picture what it was like to first hear the ring from a human trying to talk to you on the other side of a phone? These walls could.

If walls could talk they could share a history far deeper than textbooks and more accurate than newspapers.  If walls could talk would they bother with personal secrets of individuals, or would they share the history of a nation?