What does home mean to me?

Thousands, maybe even millions of people take having a house for granted. This is a problem, it is a problem because approximately 235,000 Canadians this year in 2022 are homeless. That means 235,000 Canadians are suffering not having the warmth, memories, and love a home provides. Winnie the Pooh once said ‘A hug is always the right size’ but I say ‘A home is always the right size’. Home is many things yet it is different for everyone. Home can be the place you grew up in, the place you feel the safest, or where you feel the most comfort, but home is different for everyone. This is what home means to me… My comfort at home is different than my comfort everywhere else. Have you ever thought about the saying ‘home sweet home’? What ‘home sweet home’ means to me is absolute comfort. The comfort my home provides me with is being able to be me, or asking a question without feeling judged. Home is the one place I will forever go to calm down after a stressful day. Home is also the one place that my worried internal dialogue is replaced by a happy one. Home is where the locks on the doors is not what makes my home feel comfortable like it might for other people, what makes my home feel comfortable is the trust I put into the people I share it with. There is no replacing home, because replacing this level of comfort would be impossible. It is impossible because it takes time for comfort to grow. I could live in the most luxurious castle, and still not feel as comfortable as I do in my home. Home is truly the only place where I can be me because I am the most comfortable there. My favorite memories are not of going to Ontario, or a time in school, or celebrating my birthday at a bowling alley. Instead, my favorite memories are at home. This is because my home is not just a building that me and my family go to everyday, it is the keeper and the maker of my memories. My home is where my baby brother grew up with me and where he took his first steps. Home is where, in the depth of winter, I drink hot chocolate and cuddle up in my blankets on the couch and read my favorite book. Home is where in the beautiful warmth of summer, I am happy in the sun’s rays of light. Home is where in spring’s rainy days the clouds go away. Home is where in the fall there's starting to be a slight chill in the air. I agree with what William Shakespeare said that ‘people are usually happiest at home’ because my home contains all my memories and those memories made me who I am today. My home provides all the security and protection I need. I don’t need to be scared of the monstrous blizzards or strong hurricanes because I know my home will protect me. I feel secure every night trusting my family to watch over me as I sleep. They have protected me to no avail. My home protects me from raging winds to sheeting rain but it most importantly protects me from the feeling of loss without a home. That is why my home provides me with security. This is why I say “home is always the right size”.