Multiple definitions of home, home is more than just a house, what is home?
If you ask people what their home is, you’ll likely get a variety of answers. Some would say this is where you live. Others will quote the famous saying “Home is where the heart is.”
So what does “home” really mean? Is it where you live? Where did you grow up? Or a place where you feel loved?
No single definition can fully encapsulate what home truly means. We each have our idea of what “home” should be.
Many definitions of home
Home is more than just a house
In the dictionary, home is defined as “one’s place of residence,” one’s residence, or the place where one’s domestic activities occur. But these definitions are more appropriate for houses. A home is so much more than that.
Homes can be bought and sold again and again. But home is always with you. No matter where you go, no matter where you live, there is always that longing to come home.
For some, returning home means visiting the place where you grew up. But for most people, it’s not about location. It’s more of an “at home” feeling. That feeling of relaxation, comfort, and warmth after a particularly tiring day. The house you live in may not necessarily provide all of these. Sometimes, in this case, home can be in the arms of a lover, in the familiar scent of your mother, or even your favorite pillow as a child.
1. Home is a place where memories are built
There is a reason why my hometown is called that. This is where you are born, take your first steps, and make your first friends. In short, this is a place full of memories. But home doesn’t have to be where you grew up. It can also be something that takes you down memory lane. It can be anywhere or anything — from the barn you played in as a kid to the smell of freshly baked cookies. It’s these places or things that remind you of happy days and make you look forward to creating more happy memories.
2. This is a refuge
We all have those moments when we just want a break from the rest of the world. Home is where you can do that. This is your little slice of heaven all to yourself. It’s a place where you can eat ice cream in your pajamas, outside the bathtub, and in bed — without fear of anyone judging you. It’s your sanctuary, the only place where you can be completely yourself and where you can forget about your overbearing boss, stressed-out colleagues, or demanding clients. But more importantly, you can hide and cry when things seem so overwhelming. In short, it’s your sanctuary where the problems of the world seem to fade away in the background.
3. Home is where you are accepted
Acceptance is a basic human need. We all want to be accepted by those around us, especially those who are important to us. But sometimes the people we live with cannot give us the acceptance we so crave. As a result, we feel cut off and unloved. The people we share a home with become strangers, and the place we live with becomes just a structure in which we spend the night.
But find someone who fully accepts you for who you are — and that’s home now. Acceptance gives you the confidence to be yourself. It gives you a sense of security that you are enough and teaches you to be comfortable in your skin. So places where you experience total acceptance — whether on the street or in a different country — will always feel like home.
4. Home means the future
When one has a place to call home, it gives us a sense of safety, security, and stability. Once you have these things, you can stop thinking about survival day in and day out. You can finally look beyond the horizon and into the distant future.
For some, this is the importance of home. It enables them to start dreaming and making plans for the future. This is where hopes and dreams take shape and slowly become reality.
What does home mean to homeless people?
No matter how you define a home, one thing is clear: everyone should have one. From birds nesting in trees to earthworms burrowing in the ground, all creatures big and small deserve a place to call home.
If you have a home you can call your own, you’re in luck. But a lot of people in the world don’t. Every year, the number of homeless people continues to increase.
A home is more than just a sheltered space that protects you from the elements. But when you’re sleeping on icy pavement, it can be hard to feel warm, safe, and stable. It’s hard to imagine the future when you’re kicked off the sidewalk and you don’t even know where you’re going to eat your next meal or where you’re going to sleep.
For homeless people, home means all kinds of things. Home means a stable place from which they can begin to find their way back into society.
If you’ve never been homeless, it can be hard to understand where they’re coming from. One of those things you only fully know once you’ve been there.
If you found this post insightful, please share it with someone who might benefit from it. Thanks for your reading. Share your thoughts, and suggestions, and help shape a better experience. If you find it inspiring, share it with your friends give it a ‘clap’ and follow. Let’s build something great together — drop your comments below!
