A house has a roof, walls, windows, doors, and rooms full of furniture. A house is defined as a building for human habitation. But a house is not the same as a home; a home is what you make of a house. A home can refer to anything or any location that a person thinks of as the place where they feel safe, comforted and loved. It may sound cliche, but home really is where the heart is. Without the family, the loved ones, the memories, and the feelings, a home would just be a mere house. A house stays in place, it never moves. A home, on the other hand, can travel anywhere. As long as you have your loved ones and memories of your loved ones with you, you will always feel at home because the people are what makes a house a home.
One place that I feel at home is in the house that I have lived in for the past 18 years. Within its walls, you will find my Mom, my 22 year old sister, and my 8 year old rescue dog. I have made a lot of memories as well as connections here. I remember getting in trouble by my Mom for using a glue stick and pink bubble gum to put pictures up on the wall because I couldn’t find tape. I also remember scouring the backyard with a metal detector with my sister trying to find my Mom’s jewelry that I had buried. The memories of late nights, family dinners, and wild shenanigans are always with me and comfort me and remind me that I am loved.
My second home is my Grandma’s house. My Grandma has been my sister and I’s babysitter and caretaker for as long as I can remember. From preschool all the way through 8th grade, I would go to my Grandma’s house before and after school, as she was my chauffeur while my Mom worked during the day. My Grandma taught me how to sew, plant flowers, paint, and bake banana and zucchini bread. The relationship and the memories that I have with my Grandma will always have a place in my heart no matter where I am.
The special people in your life that you have deep connections and memories with are the key to what makes a house a home. As long as you are with those special people, your heart will always feel at home no matter what roof you’re laying under. In my case, my “home” is not all in one place; my home is everywhere I am. And as I leave for college, I will have a home with me anywhere and everywhere I go because of the memories I have made, and the love I have from my family along with new friends that I am going to make.
