What Makes Home Home?

People often have different definitions for the word home. Some people think it's just a mere building you live in, others believe it's the memories you have at home that truly make it your home. Personally, I believe it's a mixture of both that make an ordinary building a home. Houses don't stay clean or remain in tip-top shape forever. Scuff marks, dents, smudges and smears! Some people view these as obstacles or something to get rid of. If you think about it, these little marks are what make your home more lively and bright! Scuff marks are made from running down endless hallways, dents are made from playing catch and accidentally hitting the wall, smudges are made from endless painting with those you love, and smears are made from creating the most delectable of mud pies then accidentally slopping them on the floor! These marks may look like something to scrub or replace, but these little marks make endless memories! A home without memories would hardly be a home at all! Next time you see a smudge, smear, dent or scuff mark in your house, think about how it got there. Reflecting on past memories you've made at home can make the new ones ten times better! Never try to push away old memories, embrace them and make them part of who you are! If you embrace the memories you embrace the people in them too, making your life at home or even your home itself better than you could've ever imagined! You can never make memories better than you can at home, why is that? Well, your home is your safe space! When you're scared or feel unsafe, the first place you think to go is home. Parents/guardians, siblings, maybe even grandparents are there to protect and comfort you. If you feel unsafe, you may even just isolate yourself in your room. The building you live in also makes your home truly yours. Without shelter, you're exposed to grave danger whether it's someone or something that could put you in that danger. Now, some people don't have buildings to call home. How on earth do they do it? Tents, shelters for those who don't have somewhere to live, alleyways, streets, anything that can provide safety and security. Some homes may not be as great looking as others, but if you have safety, security, love and memories, family, friends, endless bonds and more to come, I have a feeling your house might not be too shabby if I do say so myself. So, yes. You DO need some sort of building or shelter to live in because home is a safe, secure place. Without safety in your home, it's very hard to really say it's your home. But, you also need the memories and love in those shelters/buildings to morph them into home. Whether it's family, friends, acquaintances or very good, lifelong memories... You will definitely know what makes home home! Thank you so much to Habitat For Humanity for letting my school (and others) compete in this contest! It was so fun to write about the true meaning of home, and it really made me understand on another level what Habitat For Humanity really does. They make housing and gently used items like boats, tubs, towels, a whole lot of EVERYTHING affordable for everyone to purchase! I'm glad some of the participants in this challenge will be the cause of donations to Habitat For Humanity, and I'm so glad Habitat For Humanity really made this cause come to light for people to recognize!