Home
Home. I may have written about this before but oh well. I'm thinking about Home tonight so that is what I am writing. I hope it strikes a cord with someone else out there tonight.
Years ago, a therapist friend said something like this: People who struggle with depression don't seem to have a very good sense of "home". Conversely, people who know what "home" means to them tend to not struggle with depression. I have taken this thought further and I do hereby declare that "home" is important for lots of reasons.
I had a long work week already this week. Tonight, I came home around 9pm with Grace after the high school fall concert. We sent Roger to bed because he had been up since 3am or earlier....and Isaac took Josiah downstairs to wind down. Claire went from concert to dance. Precious and Jeremiah were both on sleepovers. We don't have school tomorrow for the grade school kids due to parent teacher conferences this week (which we squeezed in after work, before the concert). The house took a deep breath and settled in. Grace and I both got something to drink, collapsed in easy chairs in the family room and opened our computers. I lit some candles and turned down the lights. Grace said, "I love this moment in the day....." and I knew exactly what she meant. We were home. Busy day, lots of good things and hard and stressful things.....and when all the things are finished....we come home.
Home has comfy sweats, fuzzy slippers, tea with honey. Home has candles and snacks and wine. Home has all things familiar and worthy because we only keep what matters here and throw the rest out. The filter we have to use all day long is not required.....we leave it at the front step.
Because "home" is safe, we get to be real here. Roger can be exhausted. I can be lazy and selfish. Claire can be secluded because it fills her cup. Isaac can be silly. Jeremiah can be nurturing, sensitive. Precious can fall apart and have fits over and over and over....because we are home. Josiah can be full of separation anxiety and stressed and need mama, and Grace.....well, Grace can relax. No pressure here for success and good grades and achievement. this is just home.
Friends who are feeling lost can come here and get reset because it is home. Neighborhood kids can come to play when they are bored. ( there are more toys here than there is organized bins and storage units......we play here because we are home. ) Home matters.
Take some inventory regarding those you love. Do they know what "home" is? If not, get to work and create the place that can be.....home.
Years ago, a therapist friend said something like this: People who struggle with depression don't seem to have a very good sense of "home". Conversely, people who know what "home" means to them tend to not struggle with depression. I have taken this thought further and I do hereby declare that "home" is important for lots of reasons.
I had a long work week already this week. Tonight, I came home around 9pm with Grace after the high school fall concert. We sent Roger to bed because he had been up since 3am or earlier....and Isaac took Josiah downstairs to wind down. Claire went from concert to dance. Precious and Jeremiah were both on sleepovers. We don't have school tomorrow for the grade school kids due to parent teacher conferences this week (which we squeezed in after work, before the concert). The house took a deep breath and settled in. Grace and I both got something to drink, collapsed in easy chairs in the family room and opened our computers. I lit some candles and turned down the lights. Grace said, "I love this moment in the day....." and I knew exactly what she meant. We were home. Busy day, lots of good things and hard and stressful things.....and when all the things are finished....we come home.
Home has comfy sweats, fuzzy slippers, tea with honey. Home has candles and snacks and wine. Home has all things familiar and worthy because we only keep what matters here and throw the rest out. The filter we have to use all day long is not required.....we leave it at the front step.
Because "home" is safe, we get to be real here. Roger can be exhausted. I can be lazy and selfish. Claire can be secluded because it fills her cup. Isaac can be silly. Jeremiah can be nurturing, sensitive. Precious can fall apart and have fits over and over and over....because we are home. Josiah can be full of separation anxiety and stressed and need mama, and Grace.....well, Grace can relax. No pressure here for success and good grades and achievement. this is just home.
Friends who are feeling lost can come here and get reset because it is home. Neighborhood kids can come to play when they are bored. ( there are more toys here than there is organized bins and storage units......we play here because we are home. ) Home matters.
Take some inventory regarding those you love. Do they know what "home" is? If not, get to work and create the place that can be.....home.
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