A house is where you live but a home is where you love.

"Drip, drip, drip" You feel a splatter of water on your forehead as it falls from cracks in the ceiling. You sit up straight and peek at your parents in the bed adjacent to yours, and when you see they're still sleeping, you creep out carefully, trying to not awaken them. When you reach the end of the hall and tiptoe in the kitchen, your stomach begins to growl, since you haven't eaten since Mom's last paycheck 4 days ago. You throw open your rotted wood cupboards to find it completely bare, and when you walk over to the table you find nothing but an eviction note. Tears prick at your eyes as you wonder if you'll ever have a home. 1300+ people in Nova Scotia are living on the street, cold and hungry. People need to realize what they take for granted, and start supporting organizations like Habitat for Humanity. I truly believe a house is only a building, but a home is where you feel accepted, and home is never broken. In the following paragraphs, I am going to show you why I believe these things. A house to me, is really only a building. For example, a house protects you from the outside world, trying to enter your home. But a house is stuck on a lot, unmoving, and doesn't have the memories or love a home contains. What some people don't realize is that when you rent, a home is never truly yours, and can be taken away at the snap of a finger. Habitat for Humanity provides houses, so that families can begin to build their homes. A home is where you feel accepted. It is really where you can do what brings you joy and happiness. I feel it is where you can be loved, not judged for being you to the most, and not suppressing your quirks. Sometimes at school, I feel like a square peg, trying to fit into a circle hole, but at home, I'm lucky enough to feel loved and appreciated. To make a house a home, you have to first feel like you belong! Most importantly, home cannot be broken. No matter mistakes you may make, your family will still love you, and help you along your way. A house may be damaged, or even knocked down, but a home will always stay standing. What many people don't realize is that family will go up and down, but we're always determined to support each other, no matter what. What people with privilege don't realize is that so many people are stripped of their houses and homes, leaving them in poverty. It is time for our society to open our eyes to what is going on around us. To open our eyes to the fact that our homes are ideas, not buildings. To see that your home is where you are welcome, and loved for who you are. To realize that a house can be damaged, hurt, and eventually knocked down, but home is sacred, and there is no way to destroy it. In the end, the Habitat for Humanity writing contest has truly opened my eyes for the better.