I worked in archives for most of my career, but it wasn’t until I shared a home with my husband that I learned how we live in them too. The clutter, the books, the art works, the curated ephemera of a life lived instead of the one planned or hoped for: They all take on meaning that transcends their material and purpose. It’s true: Our kitchens store our histories and feed our sense of belonging. (“Object Permanence,” Gravy, October 2025. Image courtesy Gravy and Daniel Fischel.)