Many Houses, One Home

A home is not just the physical building where we eat, sleep, and play. It’s about being comfortable, safe, and with family. In my almost ten years of life, I have lived in almost ten different houses. The hardest move for me was leaving the townhouse we lived in, in Toronto. I loved this house because I had so many dear friends in the neighbourhood and it was next to a beautiful ravine where we could be close to nature. We moved from there into a tiny apartment that did not have a backyard. Surprisingly, our next move, from the tiny apartment in Toronto, to a tiny house in the Arctic, was not as difficult. I was now beginning to realize that a home is not just a place, and I was ready for an adventure with my family that felt comfortable and safe. Another “home” to me is on the soccer field. I play soccer three days a week in my home country of Canada, and I play soccer three days a week in our neighbouring country of the United States. As the only Canadian on that team, I have always been made to feel welcome, despite being the “outsider”. They almost feel like a family to me, too. Take it from me, as someone who has been from house to house to home, it’s not just about the physical building. It’s about the comfort you feel when you are being cuddled by your parents, and the protection you feel despite a dark and stormy night, knowing that you are safe from harm. As the cheesy saying goes, “Home is where the heart is,” and my heart is with my family.