There are so many sayings out there that describe what "home" is. Recently, I've come to realize that maybe, they're true. Maybe home really is "where the heart is" or that "it's a feeling and not a place." But for me, my heart is in so many different places for different reasons. As much as I'd like to dig my roots into my home state (wooo go Maryland), my "roots" are in so many places that are so different from one another, I wouldn't be able to choose a favorite.
As you just read, I am a born and raised a Maryland girl. I was born in Baltimore and lived in different counties of Maryland for most of my life. I'd consider myself to have somewhat of "northern" culture, too. It's just what I'm used to. I also love that my home state has everything, from mountains, to cities, to beaches. And come on, we have Old Bay, so what could be better than that?!
I've also have seemed to adjust to a new place I could call "home." Two years ago, my family made a big move, 600 miles away to Knoxville, Tennessee all the way from Maryland. It was anything but easy, but we're happier than ever. I also transferred to the University of Tennessee, finding my passion for social work. Though my family and I don't fit in well with southern culture, we've somehow learned to find "home" in an unexpected place.
I know I will have always lived well in one of my favorite spots, the beach. My family owns a beach house in Delaware and have gone on many weekend getaways and practically lived there for summers on end. Trips to Maderia Beach, Florida, and going to school for awhile near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, will also always have a place in my heart. Though there aren't much in these small beach towns, the sun on my skin, the salt in the air, hearing the waves crash, and sand between my toes is all I need to feel content at the end of the day.
Perhaps it really is true that home is not just a place, but how you feel when you're in that specific place; the people that surround you, the memories you have there, and how well you can reflect on this certain place, and feel like you've lived well. When someone now asks me where "home" is, usually, I still say Maryland (forever). But really, maybe it is Tennessee, or maybe it is Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I met my wonderful boyfriend in Myrtle Beach, so maybe a piece of me is still there.
"Home" is where I will find comfort, love, my family and friends, and all that I need to make a great life. "Home" is where I can be comfortable at the end of the day and look forward to the next one. No matter where I physically am, home is where the heart is.
