The holiday season is in full swing. For most of us, that means traveling the distance to be home for a few special days. Whether you’re traveling hundreds of miles or just a few hours to be at home, when you arrive at your destination there's a certain feeling of nostalgia that rushes back as soon as you arrive.
You may be hit with good warm memories that you hold closely to your heart, such as the memories of getting ready for high school dances in your room with your friends. You may just remember all the maturing that you did while under the roof of your house. Whatever it may be, most of us know home to be a place full of good, some bad and overall very memorable moments that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. These memories and sentiments are what make home so special. The feeling that you get when you step inside a place that you have come to know so well, is what makes the place that you once resided in, a place you can call home.
As I stepped through the door of my house after a long day of traveling, I realized being in the house wasn't the same as being home. I wasn't really home until I reunited with my parents. As much as I love my physical home, I have come to realize that the places that I have felt most at “home” aren't places at all; they're moments when I am surrounded by my loved ones. When I was at dinner the other night with my close group of college friends celebrating post finals life and having way too much fun, I felt as if I were at home. When I get coffee with my dad at a random coffee shop, I feel at home. When I’m driving up the coast with my best friends listening to our favorite music and singing along, I feel at home. To me, home means the place where I am the most me that I could possibly be. Surroundings and location never matter, what matters is the people that I am with, and how I feel.
As one of my favorite songs by the band The Apache Relay says, “home is not places, it is love.” If you think about it, these lyrics perfectly define what home is. Home is more than just places, home is a feeling. Home to some, might be outside camping under the stars because that is where they feel most at ease. Home might be laughing with your significant other because that is when you are happiest. Home might be the feeling that you get when your reunited with someone that you've missed. Home can be a million different places and have a million different meanings, because every individual might feel and think something different when you ask them what “home” means to them. Home is whatever you make it to be, it's completely up to you. It certainly holds a much greater meaning than the dictionary limits it to be. Home is more than just a place to live and sleep, it’s a place full of joy and love, and it can be found in many different ways. Whatever your definition of home may be, I hope you make the most of it this holiday season. Even though home might mean something different to every single one of us, I think we can all agree that there is nothing better than being or feeling at home for the holidays.
