In Madison, North Carolina, there stood a house that I couldn’t stop photographing—a quiet obsession that spanned six years. This wasn’t just a house; it was a Southern dream, a relic of a simpler time, slowly surrendering to the relentless forces of nature and time. Over those years, I watched it vanish piece by piece, documenting its quiet fade into memory.

In the first year, the house stood tall, weathered but proud, its white paint stubbornly clinging to the stories it had witnessed. Its shutters, though slightly crooked, still framed windows that seemed to hold a lingering warmth. By the second year, the elements began their gentle assault—shutters hanging loose, paint peeling like forgotten layers of its past life.

Year three was when nature made its claim. Vines crept up the sides, their tendrils weaving through cracks and crevices like whispers of the earth reclaiming what was hers. By year four, storms had left their mark. The roof sagged under the weight of too many downpours, and the once-sturdy porch began to droop in defeat.

In the fifth year, the house was a shadow of its former self. Its frame, now hollow and brittle, seemed to hold only ghosts—faint echoes of laughter, footsteps, and life. And then came year six. I returned to find nothing. No roof, no walls, no foundation. It had vanished, leaving only the faintest trace of where it once stood. The house had returned to the Earth, its timbers reclaimed by the soil from which they’d been born.

I call it The Duration of Life. Six years of wind, weather, and decay—each moment a stark reminder that nothing lasts forever. This house, once so full of presence, became a lesson in impermanence, its story now a memory etched into my heart. The photographs I took are more than images; they’re a testament to the beauty of life’s fleeting nature.

If you ever find yourself in Madison, North Carolina, pause and look around. You might find your own version of The Duration of Life—a quiet reminder that even as things fade, they leave behind stories worth remembering.