Early this past week the sale of my house closed. Since then I've been
in a hotel and feeling very unhappy and unwanted. This is not entirely due
to only that fact, or the fact that I'm not a worthwhile person. It has
more to do with the worst housing crunch ever known in my local area, which
I think will turn around for me very soon.
But it's had me thinking, and wondering; What is home really?
To me, home will never be more defined or felt, as the few times a year ago that I would walk into my home, and my girl was there waiting for me, on the couch watching TV, or on my bed studying. I thought to myself I had a house, and I had a girl I loved more completely than anyone I've ever known, and as I looked at her I felt a warmth, caring and happiness I'd not known before.
It will take a long time to feel that way again, and yet, I know I will feel happy and at home again very soon.
Summary / Solution / Truth
As I've been thinking about what home is, I've come to some conclusions.
Home is, as they say, where the heart is. That means home is somewhere you feel comfortable, loved, cared for, safe, and you have boundaries and expectations you know will be filled.
You can find this in a room in a shared house. You can find this at a friends house. You can find this where you work. You can find this by smelling something, which brings up memories of times long ago. You can find this on line in your guild. If you look carefully enough, and take enough with you, you can even find it in a hotel room.
Not everyone always has a home, and I'm currently one of those people. But as long as I have my memories, and my hopes, I know I will again. Home is a familiarity and a level of comfort and safety. In all things, it doesn't have to be an absolute. You can find what you need in just the smallest sample.
Be happy and thankful for the home(s) you have, and try and welcome those who don't into yours to share it with them.