“Home was always where WE were.” – Lori Puente
As a “military brat”, this was how it was for us. We moved around, often in base housing. It was simply the way it was for us, we knew no different.
Years later I learned how attached people are to “things” and their homes that they grew up in. I remember distinctly a conversation with a neighbor at a neighborhood gathering about how sad she felt for her husband because he no longer had the home he grew up in as a child to visit. They were 40 somethings. I was a bit taken aback by her comment as she talked about her childhood bedroom being the same as when she left it over 20 years ago. I admit, she wasn’t my favorite neighbor. I found this sort of viewpoint rather annoying and I couldn’t help myself. I said, “That’s interesting. You know, as a military brat, we never had a ‘home’ in the sense of something we owned. Home was where WE were. Home was about US. Those we loved and our personal ‘things’ about us.” That sorted of ended the conversation. Not very nice of me, but it was and is truly how I feel.
A house certainly can be a home, but what makes it a home is those who live there. Those inside it, caring for it, sharing memories. Certainly if you are lucky enough to live in it your whole life, just visiting it can bring back great memories, much like our farm in PA does for me. But I have never gotten attached to ‘things’ as it just wasn’t practical growing up. Rarely did my mother let us take unimportant things with us on the move (unimportant as deemed by her of course!), as we were always limited in pounds for the move by rank. It was painful sometimes as a kid, but I survived. I wouldn’t trade my life’s experiences for anything when I look back.
Being gone for almost three weeks back east for all the graduation festivities, visiting the farm, helping Montana with her new digs, was a blast. But I missed ‘home’. It’s the first time I have really missed it since we moved here in ’08. I missed my new friends, I missed the comfort of my own surroundings with ‘my stuff’. Living out of a suitcase is never all that fun anyway. And you always come home with more crap then you left with! Worrying about your checked luggage exceeding their weight limits. I wish the airlines would put a scale you could use when you come into the terminal to check it so you could move things around as needed. Wouldn’t that be helpful? You always take more than you need and wish you had something you didn’t!
Despite all that, I had a GREAT time AND I’m glad to be home. I have missed my routine, all of you, my weaving, and Kip (of course). Having said that, I will miss my sister, Montana, Hudson and all my friends back east. But there is the phone, skype, email and other wonderful tools to keep in touch.
Everyone always asks about Dave. It’s so nice. It’s even better to be able to tell them he is doing amazing, professionally, personally and health wise.
I have much to catch up on as I get re-acclimated being home. I have a ton of scarf orders (woo-hoo) and some that are rather urgent. I still have my website to get moving and I did make some headway while away.
“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”
I hope you have all been doing well.
Glad you are HOME!