The Meaning of Home

Home means a lot of different things to me. A home is a place that I have made amazing memories in and I wouldn’t be the same without it. Even the bad memories at home have shaped me into the person I am today. I feel so safe when I am at home and there are times when I don’t want to leave. But what am I describing when I say the word home? The dictionary would define home as a place where someone lives; a building. Home means so much more than that to me. It breaks my heart to see that many people do not have physical homes. My Uncle Andrew is someone who is close to me that is considered homeless. He does not have a physical home and it often leaves me thinking about what more could be done to help people like my Uncle. I do not fully understand why things like this happen to people. No one deserves to be homeless. I have never experienced as much joy and hope as when my teacher showed me the Habitat for Humanity website. Our class read stories about the organization and what they have done for people who haven’t had the same positive experiences of ‘home’ as I have had. This is when I really started thinking about what home means to me. I am very grateful to have a roof over my head. I am grateful to be able to have a place to go after school every day and a bed to sleep in every night. More importantly, my home is the people I share it with. It has been said that a house is a building, but a home is a feeling. When I am home I feel safe and loved. I create memories, good and bad. When I am home I know I can learn and grow and be myself. I feel warm and comfortable being around my friends and family. My home is welcoming to all and does not discriminate. Home means different things to different people. Home isn’t the easiest word to write a definition for, but I know when I am there.