The Perfect Gift of Home

Unwrapping our days together

“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”

— Unknown

No matter where I stay, I like to settle in and call it home base.

Some people can’t wait to get home from vacation. Or can’t wait to get out of the hospital. I try to think of my space or home as a temporary place.

Heaven will be my next resting place when it’s my time to go. Whether it will be my final resting place is yet to be discovered. A house is a shelter, and a home is within our hearts.

My grandma lost her house over thirty years ago to a devastating F5 tornado. Many of my childhood memories blew away in seconds from that storm. I’m thankful my grandmas’ life was spared, and we were able to enjoy many more years together.

I learned and promised myself that I would never become attached to a structure or anything material again. However, I truly appreciate beautiful gifts, and somehow have even become attached to my blanket. Regardless, if someone’s life was on the line, all my attachments would be void.

I take care of my house, and the home within me goes everywhere I go. I spend the night with my daughter often to care for my grandson. It’s taught me even more about a home.

“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends and family belong, and laughter never ends.”

— Unknown

Residence

So, whether camping in our shack in the middle of the woods or sharing a bed with my daughter and grandson, or living in a duplex with my husband, son, and mom, the home goes wherever I go.

I hope my home will take me back to Hawaii soon or Disney World again. I love traveling, and I settle in quickly.

I once heard a story about an older woman who already knew that her retirement home or assisted living facility would be lovely. She didn’t even need a tour upon moving in. I’d like to think the same for myself; her home was within her. Within her mind, heart, body, and soul, and because of this, she knew she would make her space beautiful no matter what.

Memories

Creating memories isn’t about the material things within our houses. Items are stored within its walls. True memories are within the people living there.

As we dug through the rubble upon first approaching my grandma’s house, we immediately began searching for my grandma. Everything else didn’t matter because our true memories within that house were still within us.

Family

Our family makes up our home. If someone is hurting, it’s like a wall is collapsing, and we must work as a team to rebuild them.

Family is where the heart is, right within our homes. We find great comfort within the walls of our spaces. If you lost your house tomorrow, do your memories hold a special place within the safety of your heart?

How can you fill your home with an extra helping or a supersized dose of love and laughter?

Laughter

I’ve heard it said many times that laughter is the best medicine. How can you begin to fill the space within your walls with more laughter wherever you find yourself?

Is it looking on the bright side of things? Is it being intentional only to fill yourself up or surround yourself with those who lift you rather than cut you down?

Home is full of many emotions in a day. Our lives are also filled with sadness, but we must look at our emotions in much the same way as a house. They’re also temporary and quickly changing based on our circumstances.

We must learn to look at our emotions as under construction. We can be sad today, but with the proper care and love, we can soon be laughing again.

Staying stuck in a state of sadness without seeking help is like staying in a dysfunctional home. Finding a construction worker willing to help rebuild your walls is essential.

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”

— Albert Ellis

A home

A home is filled with loving souls helping each other to our following destinations. It’s not a race. It’s a team of like-minded people who should be free of judgment.

It’s a place with mutual love and respect for each other. Of course, there are rules. It is also where many mistakes are made, and where forgiveness runs deep within its foundation. Some things are even forgotten amongst the rubble.

The biggest priority is to love and respect one another. Only the truth should dwell within it — only kind words building each other up while sharing everything freely.

My home is full of love, hugs, smiles, and plenty of laughter but not immune to death, illness, great pain, sadness, and even anger at times. However, love is the medicine to quickly repair its walls again.

I’m thankful for its foundations that are thick and withstand any natural disasters. My family lives in the heart of my home and at any time the door will open that leads us each into our heavenly home one by one. For this, although a part will be left with great sadness, a sense of happiness also fills my walls in preparation for our beautiful home that someday awaits each of us.

Thank you, Trista Signe Ainsworth and team at Thank You Notes Publication. I’m writing this as a thank you note for the love and comfort of my family.

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