The Meaning of Home

When I think of home, many things come to mind. I think of my bedroom and my favourite pillow. I think of the fireplace, my stuffed animals and the dinner table. But these are just things. It is more about the people in my home and the feelings that come from them. When I think of home, I feel comfortable, supported, safe and secure. Home is so much more than a building and here is why. One reason why home is more than a building is because it makes me feel comfortable and supported. In my home I like that everything is where it is supposed to be. I like knowing where things are and being able to easily find what I need. For example, I can find my mom, dad or sister if I am having a bad day and need someone to talk to. They are always there for me. Or, if I need a quiet space, I can go to my room that I have set up in a way that makes me feel good. My room represents me because it has my favourite colours, my artwork on the walls, and letters from friends. My letters from friends are my favourite because I can always look over them and they make me feel happy. I especially love how my house smells like home. As soon as I walk through the door I feel so excited. The smell of my home is something that never changes and always makes me feel safe because it is something that I know and love. You can’t beat the scent of my mom's cooking, freshly washed bed sheets, and the aroma of the burning fire crackling in the fireplace. I have so many memories that come from these smells that I love very much. It is not just my mom’s cooking, it is sitting at the dinner table with my family and talking about our days. There is no better feeling than curling up in my bed when my mom and dad come to tuck me in at night. The crackling fire is about being with the people I love, and playing board games and watching our favourite shows and movies together. The Greatest Showman is our number one movie. My home is more than a building because of all the photographs on the walls. Each photograph tells a story about somewhere we have travelled, something we have celebrated, and many other fun times together with family and friends. Whenever I get a new school picture, I replace the old one with the new one and it reminds me of how much I have grown with my home. We also have a camera that has lots of videos of when I was little. We often watch those videos and they always make me smile because I can see how I have changed and why my home is so important to me. From playing with my toys on the floor to a game of hide and seek behind my favourite tree in our yard, this is what makes our home ours. When I feel comfortable, supported, safe and secure, I am home. For me, it is about familiarity, memories, togetherness with the people you love, and my life stories that make my home. You may not feel the same way I do about the meaning of home, but either way home is what you make it. Home will never get old and will only continue to grow, just like the people inside it. By: Ericah Papanicolaou Grade 5 Highland Creek Public School 1410 Military Trail, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A8