A full house to me is considered home. The crackle of a fire, the sound of laughter, cars pulling in and out of the driveway, the constant open and close of the back door, loud cheers of people watching whatever sports game is on tv. These distinct noises are what fill my head when the word “home” comes to mind. All sounds of which come from a house filled which love and happiness.
I firmly believe home is where the people you love are. I have always felt the happiest when I knew there were people over. Whoever it may be, my friends my sister’s friends, or even my parent’s friends. It never mattered to me. I think the thought of barbecuing in the backyard, sitting around a campfire at the R.V lot after skiing, walking to the local gas station on a warm summer day to get Slurpees, or simply driving around at night playing music with my favorite people, are the moments that feel closest to home.
Over the summer my family moved. I grew up in Olympia practically my whole life, I have only ever known one house to be considered my home, so the thought of suddenly changing that was saddening regardless of how short the distance of the move was. We were in the process of selling our old house and moving into our current one. It was one day in specific that altered my perspective on the whole idea of moving.
We were in the back yard of the house we were moving into with my family’s longest friends who were helping us to move boxes and whatnot. It was a perfect summer night, the dogs were running around, the fire was going it was a warm summer night with a beautiful setting sun, great music playing, and the dads were throwing a frisbee. I took a step back and at that moment I realized that even though we were moving houses, the memories we have made and the people we have met along the way are going to continue to be with us wherever we go. This made me realize that four walls a roof and a street name aren’t what makes a house a home, it’s the people and the memories you make within those four walls. So no matter where you go, what you do, or who you are with, you will always have a place to call home.
