What is a home? Oxford Dictionary defines it as “The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.” But what does it mean, in a less clinical sense?
Humans were not originally sedentary creatures. Up until about 12000 BC, humans were nomadic creatures and roamed based on where food and resources were available. But as of that point, they started to realize that staying together in one place in larger groups made it easier to accumulate resources, develop agriculture and ensure better survival.
What’s my point? That’s a good question, and I’ll be the first to admit that I tend to rant and carry on a bit. So here we go: As of today, the majority of the planet’s population has become sedentary. And that’s a basic expectation of modern life. Go to school, get a job, start a family and find a permanent home.
As a people, we tend to attach a lot of value to our homes. After all, our homes contain our family, and is usually our safe haven from the outside world. But is that safe haven truly the structure itself, or what we make of it? I’m inclined to believe it’s the latter.
Since my early childhood, I have had twelve different homes. I had to remember and count those out in my head to recall every place I’ve lived, but it’s factual. And I can promise that each and every place I’ve lived was filled with love and warmth. I know not every person is as fortunate, but the point is that the family I was raised with learned over the decades to make the most out of the location, and that “home” is wherever we’re all together. A value I try to pass on to my family as well.
A house is simply a structure. A man-made construction that serves to contain people and their possessions. The people and their affection for one another is what makes the home. This is why, even when human ancestors were sedentary, they still had a “home” in the sense that they were all together.
Always remember that no matter where life takes you, or what challenges you face, home is not only where you hang your hat; it’s also where you are with the ones you love. ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 