Home for Christmas

The seasonal songs are once again filling the air waves. Some of them cause us to reflect on the past and remind us of the importance of “home.” The song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is one such song. Many will go “home” for Christmas, even if it is only in their dreams, for there is a yearning within the human heart to return to that place where we feel secure and loved. Nothing matches getting back with the people we love and who love us. Going home means being with people who love you despite your faults, who let you be who you are, who are always glad you’re there to share life with them. When one goes home there is usually good food, laughter, enjoyment of each other’s company, and sharing of joys as well as tears.

One of my favorite memories of this season is the family tradition of gathering at an aunt’s/uncle’s home for a family meal. While my family has diminished in size, I still, like many, want to go “home” to gather with family. Going “home” for the holidays is an essential part of celebrating Christmas, for “home” is where the heart is. It’s a place where loved ones gather, where our souls can connect with the souls of another. It’s a place where memories are formed, stories are told and new stories given birth. It’s a place where one can capture “Kodak moments” that last a lifetime. Home is where we can, and should, feel safe, cared for and even special. “Home is where the heart is.”

What if home no longer exists except in one’s memory or it is impossible to go to the place we call home? Many are separated by circumstances that prevent them from being with family and loved ones during the holidays. Can we make "home" out of where we are? Perhaps home is as much a state of well being and solace as it is a place.

If home is as much about attitude as it is about latitude, then we never need feel too far from home. That's good to know, especially during those times when we find our thoughts homeward bound. The challenge for many will be to make the place where you are a space and place of peace. Can you find comfort in your surroundings and warmth in fond memories or perhaps from the company of friends? If so, even if you're not at the place you live, or the place called home is no longer what it once was, you can be at home, even if it is only in your dreams.