Where is Home?

It has recently occurred to me how crucial it is to have an established home or place of belonging for most human beings.

Home is a word connected with things like security, safe place, and comfort. All of these things are important to living and to feel sane, we need them.

The reason I bring this up is because in the past few months I seemed to have been having what I might call a "homedentity crisis". Going to college and living in a small room is one thing, but that's not even what I am talking about in this instance. During my time at Michigan, my family decided to pack up and move a whopping 15 minutes away from my childhood home. This seems like no big deal (at least I thought so) but it is in fact...a huge deal. I live so close to campus, so going home is a simple task, but when I did visit my new home for the first time...I wasn't happy.

It was NOTHING like my old house, and I was uncomfortable, weirded out, and sad. I missed the high ceiling our living room used to have, the fireplace, and most of all the memories of coming home to my room every summer night. This is what really got me...my room. It wasn't so much the physical qualities that I missed, but mostly the associations I made with the good times I had in my old home. I know, I know, I know what you are thinking, just make new memories in your new home, right? Wrong. It isn't that easy right now since I live here in Ann Arbor and all memories being made are being tacked on to my dorm room. This may explain why I feel more at home in my little half of the room than my own bedroom at home.

Anyway, this thought just struck me and I really realized how important an idea of "home" is, no matter what it may be. I know that my situation will get better in the future as long as I an adapt and wait it out, but for now, I'll stick to my side of the room.