There's No Place Like Home

Dorothy was right. There is no place like home. But, what is home? Is home where the heart is? where your family is? where your best friend is? Is the place you were born your home? where you were raised? where you became an adult? where you now live as an adult with your own children? Hmmm... Home. The dictionary defines home as

–noun
1.
a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.
2.
the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.
3.
an institution for the homeless, sick, etc.: a nursing home.
4.
the dwelling place or retreat of an animal.
5.
the place or region where something is native or most common.
6.
any place of residence or refuge: a heavenly home.
7.
a person's native place or own country.
8.
(in games) the destination or goal.
9.
a principal base of operations or activities: The new stadium will be the home of the local football team.


Too many denotations for my liking. If we look at the word home purely as a noun, how would you define it? I struggle with this.... if it is where I was born, then its Saskatoon, if its where I was raised I can't go there (to any of the places) because the people that now reside there may find it strange if I were to occupy their houses for the weekend.... I'm not too sure why I'm thinking about this so much....

My conclusion...for me there are a lot of different places that feel like home. I'm glad to be back near my family -- one of my many homes -- I went to Saskatoon last weekend to spend Sheri's brithday with her for the first time since we were 11 -- Dorothy is right -- it's good to be home!