Home

When somebody says the word home, you might imagine tall buildings with crystal clear windows, the sound of traffic floating up and away. Others might envision a small cottage with a thatched roof and crackling fire embers glowing orange in the grate. Or maybe something else entirely! To me, what turns a house into a home is the family members, memories, love… and it's where you feel safe to be yourself. Memories can be home. For example, the vibrant splatter paintings hanging on our wall upstairs remind me of when my mom, brother and I spent the afternoon in front of our old house shaking paint brushes at the canvas! Our kitchen floorboards hold memories of when me and my family sang musicals like Hamilton or Wicked at the top of our lungs! Home can also be family! My family's a bit more complicated than some of my friends’. For example, I have four parents. That equals two houses. I also have a brother, sister, and two dogs which is a LOT of family. I think a family is what makes a house a home, like books make a building a library! I love my family so it's hard sometimes to leave one to go to the other. Home is where you can feel safe and secure, where you can be yourself. I think the perfect explanation is from Alice in Wonderland: “You're mad, bonkers, off your head. But let me tell you a secret. All the best people are!” This is exactly how you should be able to be at home. To me, home is love. Home is hope. Home is a beacon of light in a sea of dark. Home is your nest, your safe place. It's where memories are made and remembered. Home is home.