What Home Means to Me

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A house is made with walls and beams; but a home is built with love and dreams.” I chose this quote because a house is just a building, but a home has a story to tell. A house you can make, but for a house to turn into a home you have to fall in love with it. I am writing this essay to tell you about what I feel are the similarities and differences between a home and a house, the impact of poverty on having a home, and what a home means to me. By sharing my feelings about a home, I am hoping that I can make a difference in someone’s life and help them to get their own home just like me. A home is much more special than a house. The similarity between a home and a house, is they both are shelter. Shelter means they have a roof to stop the bad weather from coming in. The differences between a home and a house are that a home has love, safety and memories, but a house doesn’t because it is just a building. Based on these reasons I believe that a home is very different than a house. A home is more special than a house because a home you cannot make but a house you can. I transformed my house into my home by being with my family and making memories in my house. A home is not about the building outside, it’s about what you do inside that turns the word house into the word home! Have you ever wondered what it would be like living in a cardboard box everyday? Well, some people actually live in a cardboard box, I think that is really sad. I bet when they go for walks they stare at all the houses and wish they had a place to call home. Everyday we stay nice and dry in our houses but think about all those people who get soaking wet in the rain because they have no shelter. Sometimes they even starve because they don't have any food to eat. You should be grateful to have a home or even just a house. That is why people enter this contest, to tell people what a home means to them. Most importantly I entered this contest to help stop poverty. We need to stop poverty so everyone gets a house to turn into a home! A home means many things to different people but to me home is full of memories, having safety, love and feeling valued. My home is full of memories. For example, I keep my dead dog’s stuffy to remind me of her and since we are in the middle of a pandemic, I have memories of doing online activities. Also, having a home I feel more comfortable staying home in the pandemic. I know I live in a safe community so I feel safe going outside and playing with my brother! My parents make lots of rules, not to be mean but to keep me safe. My home is full of love because everyone loves our home and we all love each other as well. I love my home so much. Do you love your home? My home makes me feel valued because I have a special room just for me. That room has most things I want and everything I need. The people in my home make me feel valued by caring for me and helping me when I need help. I think it is only fair if everyone has a home to love and feel safe in, just like I do in my home. What is the true meaning of home to you? I’ll leave that for you to answer by yourself. To me a home means, no poverty, having shelter other than cardboard, having safety, being loved, and making memories. People who have a home might be thinking whatever no big deal, but they shouldn't. They should think, “if I had no home how would I feel?”. People who do not have a home will be thinking, “I wish I had a home like everyone else”. I feel really lucky to have a home and I want everyone all over the world to have a home just like mine. What will you do to stop poverty today?