Home is so much more than just an address or where you park your car. There have been times in the past where I have felt that the place I was residing wasn’t really home. I’m sure I’m not the first to feel that way. That’s because something was missing. The feeling of being home just wasn’t there.
So, what is home, then?
Home is the sound of my two daughters laughing as they chase each other merrily through the kitchen. Their sweet giggles get louder and louder with each passing step. It’s watching them swing together as the wind blows gently through their soft hair. It’s playing games, doing homework and bath time. Home is hearing a quiet house as I finish a cup of coffee before everyone else wakes up.
Home is also the embrace of my husband, warm and secure. It’s sitting by the fire on a cold night, wrapped in a blanket with him while sipping glasses of dark red wine as something plays on television. It’s sitting under the summer night’s sky together, with him, as the fireflies dance and the crickets sing. It’s sharing laughs, eating good food and rooting for the Detroit Tigers. Home is knowing that he is my rock, my best friend and my love.
Home is talking on the phone with my sister about anything and everything that happens to come up. It is also her brutal honesty when most needed, because she’s the only one who knows me well enough to tell me the truth about my hair, my shoes and my jokes. Though the miles stretch between us, I feel close to her, always.
Home is the way my mom’s house always smelled like apples and cinnamon; warm, sweet and just a little spicy. To this day, that smell takes me back to her house with the fondest memories of her. We would watch movies together as we braided one another’s hair. Home is the sound of her dryer as clothes were tumbled dry. It’s the smell of fresh laundry, just folded by her.
When I miss home, there is a feeling deep in my belly. A yearning for something I can’t quite put my finger on, but I know it’s home. Home brings the most comfort, like wrapping a blanket around my shoulders on a chilly day.
Home is happiness.
Home is love.
Home is beautiful.
Home is here.
Danielle Dayney 