“Home is wherever I’m with you”~ Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
I’ve loved those lyrics since they came out in the song “Home” about five years ago. Home isn’t necessarily a place, it is a feeling that one has with certain people, a culture or a location. My blog’s little Farmgirl mascot often reminds me of a similar sentiment–“Farmgirl is a condition of the heart.” The City Farmgirl’s quote also exclaims a similar idea–“Being a farmgirl isn’t about where you live, it’s about how you live.”
Home is where I can identify and appreciate the wild flowers. Trillium in bloom in north central Minnesota.
“Home” is where you are. Wherever that is. But there are other versions of “home.” I lived in the same metropolitan area (St. Louis-sh) for the first 50 years of my life. Then I got laid off in a terrible economy and had to leave my state to find work. I landed in beautiful Colorado, living along the Front Range of the Rockies. This is “home” no matter what house I am renting at the time (I am an eternal renter). But I often go “home” to visit family and friends in Missouri. There are many versions of home. Many.
Having spent seven years living in my motorhome and driving around the U.S., Canada and Mexico, I went by the adage “Home is where you park it.” The phrase was coined by the Escapees, a group of full-time RVers who are based in Livingston, Texas but roam where they want and had their mail forwarded to whatever location had general delivery. My home was always with me so I was always “home.” Now I live in an apartment in San Francisco and that’s “home.” I chose this city over all others in the U.S. and am very happy I did.
Oh my a new experience on the horizon? I too have had many buildings/areas that I called ‘home’ – right now I have one of the most beautiful buildings ever but can move on to anything – well almost anything – at my age I do require much creature comfort – but could move on. BUT HOME is still my Grandparents HOME where I was loved and I loved – a farm, cows, pigs, chickens, orchard, gardens, lots!! of relatives – LOVE!!! Can’t go back to that, except in my memories n pictures but it is the ONLY place I want to be. Best wishes in your decision. God bless P.S. your Ava is scrumptious!!
Hi Alex,
I have a lot of places I call home too. And I’m so thankful for that. My husband and I built a house all by ourselves (yes, totally) that took us 2 full years of working day and night. I knew this house inside out, literally, when we moved in and you know what? It took me almost a year before is really felt like home. That was when I really became aware that “home” is a lot more than where we live. It is memories! And for the first year of living here, I think I was recovering from the stress of building it (ha ha!) so it took me awhile to really make it a home. Now? It’s the best home I’ve ever lived in and I love it more than any of the others! And a lot of that is now due to the fact that we built it ourselves and the memories of that are phenomenal.
I sure loved your post and what I kept coming back to was your sweet comment about your little 10-year old farming friend. What a lucky little girl she is to have you for a friend. No matter where you eventually end up, it’ll be a happy day for her to come visit! 🙂
It is true – home really is where the heart is.
– Dori –
“Home is where you hang your hat.” My dad always told me that…I think prepping me for the day when I actually left “home”. Good luck in your search for your new home. Looking forward to an update.
There are two “Homes”. One in our memories from childhood, and one where we sleep every night and eat and relax and make new memories. My childhood homes are all gone because of progress so I have to close my eyes and remember it just the way it was. It will always be there. My today home is where I garden, take care of my chickens and cats and put my things in. Every few years my husband gets an urge to move. Leave everything I am familiar with and try something else. I fight it but always give in and have never regretted it. We have new experiences and learn new things like instead of living in a big house on a corner few acres where everyone sees every move you make, to a small cedar home in the woods with lots of acres and no one sees anything. Change is good and can be so fun, but always too scary at first. As long as you have someone with you , that you trust and love, I think home can be anywhere.
My true home is where I live but I’m not far from where I was born. Texas is also my home. I have been here all my life. Traveled a lot and plan to do more for sure when I retire in a few years. Love everywhere…and seeing all what God has done!!