Gone Home | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Gone Home

Upon returning, everything may feel different.

13
Gone Home
Julia Grace Hill

In my Classical Civilizations course, we just read The Odyssey. During our discussion of the major themes of the book, my professor said something that really stuck with me: "You can never truly go home."

Initially, I just kind of shook my head like I understood what it was that he really meant. I then went home this past weekend, which inspired my realization that home truly does change. Even in my small town of 3,500 people, things felt different upon my arrival.

I was only in Detroit for a little over one month before going home. Driving into town, I saw that some businesses had shut down, some edifices had changed, there was more construction and plenty more bicyclists. Now, these are all simple things, but their combined efforts made for a feeling of change.

Then when I arrived to my house, everything felt slightly unfamiliar. My room was emptier. There was a new throw pillow. The lights seemed dimmer. Minute details added up to an entirely different surrounding. Maybe things were not even different, but my state of mind and circumstance were what had changed my perception of what home is.

Homer captured this feeling of returning to a home that is not quite the home you remembered, all the way back in eight B.C. I now understood what it was that he meant, which made me appreciate the plot of The Odyssey even more than I previously had.

Whether one is gone for weeks, months or even years, the qualities that you remember your home embodying may be different. This may seem obvious, but people, places and lifestyles change with time; they shift towards the uniformity of the period, the region or their individualized culture.

But despite all of the changes, home still felt 'homey' to me, and that is because the basis of it had stayed relatively the same; my family was there, my cats, my bed, my records, my favorite coffee shop and my local library-- the backbone of my home was unchanged, so it still provided me with comfort and eased my stress.

I know as I return home in the future, with more knowledge, experiences, and possibly a different outlook, and as my community itself continues evolving, things will appear different, and maybe even foreign to me. But maybe it is less about the form, the external skin of the town, than it is about the memories and the heart that will always remain.

Bon Voyage

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

79986
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

8412
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments