Home, it's a familiar word that has a lot of different meanings. There's our childhood home, the house and town that we grew up in during our formative years, or the place we settled and raised our families over a period of time. Fortunately for us, for more than a half a century, all of my family has stayed within a 30 mile radius of each other.
This is the fifth Christmas where I have traveled back "home" to celebrate the holidays. There is something so joyful about being in the midst of my family. My Grandchildren and Son, who I miss on a daily basis, my Brothers, my Mom and my friends all define home for me.
Home is truly where your heart is. But this year my heart is in Vancouver. I had to make the trip without my Best Friend with whom I haven't been separated from in 28 years. We will not spend Christmas together due to these tough financial times. Only one of us could afford to come and I won the coin toss.
Please do not mistake my whining for self-pity. We both realize there are soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan who will be separated from their families, people who have no home in which to have Christmas, those who do not know where their next meal is coming from, and the list goes on.
What I am trying to articulate is (and my friends in Washington will appreciate this) that my home is now in Vancouver. That's right, I am finally admitting it. I know it is not the place I will be forever, but it is home for now.
So I will continue to come back to Michigan for Christmas when I can, but not without my husband again. For he holds my heart and defines my "home".
Merry Christmas to all!
3 comments:
So true! It reminds me of that song in "Fiddler on the Roof" where they are singing "Oh what a melancholy choice this is" while waiting for the train to take Hodel to Siberia.
We are missing you here in Vancouver, Theresa!
Merry Christmas!
Theresa, welcome home to Vancouver! We're glad you happen to live here!
What a beautiful tribute from a wise (believe me) woman.
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