What is Home?

I have a huge family with three sisters and two brothers. When we moved from Minnesota to Colorado, we had to live in a tiny two-bedroom apartment. We didn’t have a lot of space, but we were able to live happily with what we had. 

Home can be different for each person, with some people believing that it is a place where you live. However, others believe that it can be wherever you feel most comfortable, a site you love to be, which can vary from a place where you and your friends hangout or a place you go to be by yourself to process your thoughts or think about your day.

 According to an article by Businessinsider.com, former NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal spent over $70,000 at Walmart on homegoods, furnishings, clothing and electronics, right after he was traded from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns, which was Walmart’s biggest purchase in history.

"So they already got the apartment set up, and I ain't got nothing. I ain't got no towels, I ain't got no pots and pans ... I'm Walmart's biggest customer ... Pans, socks, underwear, tank tops, TVs, printers, computers," said the hall of fame center.  In this article U.S. Furniture Retail - Statistics & Facts on statista.com, home furnishings stores generated about $106.78 billion worth of sales in 2015.

Recently, the Habitat for Humanity website asked readers, “What does home mean to you?” They got various responses.

“Home means a future,” said Kelly, who responded to the same Habitat.org website question. “Once we had a stable home, we could think beyond where we were going to live from week to week, and we could begin to look ahead to where we wanted to go. Home is the base where everything begins. I think that home is simply wherever you’re surrounded by people who love you.”

Junior Madison Perry had a very similar opinion.

“It  means a warm, comfortable environment where I feel safe. It reminds me of love, and a sense of free will where I don't have to hide anything.” 

Home should be a lot like this, because your family should never judge you; they should always support you. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t be afraid of showing emotion in your home. 

If you don’t feel comfortable in your home. She suggests displaying fresh flowers, preparing homemade meals, using comfortable pillows, and making the house smell good. 

“You want it to be a place where you can create memories based on what you love,” according to the author, Tiffany Taylor. “If you’re an outdoorsy person, then include an outdoor area that fits you. If you prefer to sit by the fireplace while the snow falls, then create a nook surrounded by that. Use each of your senses when designing a home that brings comfort. What smells do you like? What feels good to you? What do you want to see? These things matter. Your house matters.You matter. And your house should reflect that.”