Grumpy Old Ganz
Follow-up on discussion about “home”
In my last column I proposed a question about something I was pondering and I thought that would be the end of it. Shockingly, for me, it wasn’t.
If you missed it last week, my editorial was about “what does ‘home’ mean to you?”
Since that writing I had some friends, family and even people I didn’t know engage me in discussing the question.
I have to say that everyone I conversed with about this topic was not only interesting but extremely enjoyable to chat with as I listened to their stories and what they thought “home” was.
The answers I received were all unique in their own way. Some said it was the physical location and some would pause and add, “Well, I guess it’s much more than that too”. In my opinion, it made people think more in-depth about it.
Others said it was the “memories” but as the conversation progressed they would add other explanations of the word “home” as well. Several commented and said “I guess I really don’t have a set answer”.
One person said that it was the “Safety of having a support system…emotionally, mentally and physically”.
Others would eventually say “I don’t know”. Do any of us know for certain? There is no right or wrong answer...
Another individual actually caught me off guard by saying “We moved so many times that I can’t say I actually had a “home”.
After all the conversation and discussion, they gave me answers I hadn’t thought of myself...making me really think even more!
I find it ironic that a single word, regardless of the definition, means so many different things to so many different people. It also has so many interesting synonyms.
With all the “word talk”, it brought this phrase to mind, “actions speak louder than words”. It is one I use a lot with my kids. For me, actions really do speak for themselves. They can be as simple as daily hugs, your parents cooking your favorite meal or wrapping in a homemade quilt that gives you that feeling of “home”.
Our actions are the things you can see…our words are simply spoken as a form of communication with one another.
I will leave you with something to ponder...are your actions speaking louder then your words?
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