As a little girl, I was not appreciative enough of having a "home" and all that it entailed. Oftentimes, I found myself wanting to run away from it. However, as a college student, I now desire and long for "home" more than I ever have. The quote "you never know what you have until it's gone" has truly resonated and related to my life in a way I never thought it would!

Being away from home for almost a year has awoken me to how much I truly miss it! "Home" means something different to everyone, however, I personally relate the word to my physical house situated in my hometown and all the memories that occur within and around it. My family contributes a big part to the word itself, and without them, my "home" would be incomplete. It would be missing a sense of identity.

Like that of a missing puzzle piece, a home cannot be a home without all its members within; hence, it is an abode of unconditional love. There may be attributes I do not love about my hometown, but at the end of the day, my home is my sanctuary where I feel the safest from the outside world. I would not change it for the world, and would do anything to be there this very instant!

Leaving home to attend college did not affect me at first, but after ten months, it hit me that I have distanced myself from those that I love. And this is really hard! What I can tell you is that it is difficult being across the globe for a prolonged period of time. It is not at all easy and it is during these times when you are missing home more than ever that you pick up the phone and call the ones that you love. They are ultimately the framework of your "home" and without them, that puzzle piece I was talking about will be incomplete. So if your reading this and are not sure what to take out of this piece; please remember this- do not lose contact with the ones that you love as they are the roots to your essence.