Opening an almost unhinged door, I find myself surrounded by a mass of sweaty creatures. Human things that sway from side to side, mesmerized by the wave of noise that surrounds them. Droning amplifiers and cheap instruments line the corner of the main living room where an overzealous band begins their set. The crowd begins to bump and kick in rhythm. I take a stroll over into the next room, a tiny den with a window and fridge, where I am met with greetings and offerings. A group of recognizable faces slither over my way to converse and hydrate, eventually trickling back into the living room as distortion overpowers the house. Friends and strangers gather around the music in cheerful banter, bobbing their skulls and submitting to the present moment. I find my feet floating near the front, vibrating my legs and shaking my body. Beloved souls swarm past me and multiply around my head in cloudy circles. And suddenly, I melt into the disoriented mass of hazy dancers. I cease to exist, becoming the ferocious, collective energy of wholly connected love. As the trance intensifies and consumes each and every person in the room, I come to feel a surge of calm, as if every person is familiar and every song is flawless. I realize that I am complete. I realize that I am home. I realize that my home is harmony.
Putting on a pair of hiking boots, I begin my morning with a stroll through the forest. Today I am on the search for mushrooms, as I have a feeling the new season has brought a lovely new variety. I search for a while, noting measly discoveries, and eventually approach a clearing in the woods. Underneath an old tilted tree, I find a glorious panther cap mushroom. And a few steps over, there lays a jagged animal bone. These gifts of life and death welcome my presence. I now know that the universe is among me. I take in the earth all around my feet, becoming one with all. I praise the fungus that keeps our planet alive and thank the forest spirits for their friendly greeting. All that I feel is love for the earth, just as I know that the earth loves me. In this moment, I realize that I am complete. I realize that I am home. I realize that my home is harmony.
Moments like these become my home. These moments of love and connectivity become where I find myself most in touch with my core. But although these memories are fleeting, they are never lost. Home is never lost. From all of my travels and adventures, I always take something to hold on to. Whether a friend gives me a tiny something, or the world around me leaves a gift, I fill my house with all of the pieces of home that I have found. My house is where I remember home. My home is harmony.