Home is Here

The word home means - “a place of residence, such as a house or apartment, that serves as a permanent or semi-permanent dwelling…” When we picture a home what do we see? Walls, windows, floors and a roof. These are things that define the physical structure of my home and most of your homes. Yet we all know that this is far from the true meaning of the word. A home, to me, is more than a place, it is a feeling. Where should we start? A home starts from the ground up. It is built on solid foundations. In my home, the foundation is not just a solid structure, they carry traditions, beliefs and love that my family built up for me. These foundations are the support stable and grounded from the start. Wherever I go these foundations will go with me. What else makes a home? A “roof”, or more accurately roofs and walls. These structures provide shelter and safety. In my home these things are more than protection from wind and rain. They are the safety my family gives me. With my family around me: I have a space to be myself, a place to be sheltered from things that hurt me, time to reset and face the world for another day. These walls and roofs are more than a place. They’re a belief in goodness, patience and understanding that goes with me wherever I go. People need windows. Windows are more than glass. They are openings that exchange knowledge for vulnerability. In my home windows are perspectives, they’re the connection to my community, a place where my vision goes far while I still am safe to dream, I feel safe to dream of blue skies, mountain tops and rainbows while supported by the perspective.