Nine Houses, One Home

In my nine years I have lived in nine houses! In that time, I have lived in three provinces, moved twice across the country (once during a global pandemic), and suffered through one very scary house fire. All of those things may give you the impression that I do not have a good sense of what home is, but I know more than you think. Even though I have lived in nine different houses, each time it has been a blessing. These houses have given me four walls to welcome new friends, gather with my family and snuggle with my pets. Home is not defined by where I live, but who I am with. When I had my house fire, I thought I lost everything, I lived in a hotel for three months, but I was at home because I had the support and love of my friends and family. A home is a place where you feel safe, cared for and most importantly where you can be together with the people you love. Every house I have lived in has been filled with laughter, joy, tears, birthdays, achievements, celebrations, frustrations, and growth. No matter where I live these experiences have made me the person I am today because home is where the heart is. I may have walked through nine different front doors and may have gotten ready for bed in different coloured rooms, but when my dog snuggles in beside me, my dad kisses me goodnight and my mom sings me a song, I know that I have only ever had one home.