Monthly Archives: January 2015

Finding Home

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“‘Ain’t No Stopping Us Now’, I love that song
Whenever it comes on it makes me feel strong
I thought I told y’all that we won’t stop
We back cruising through Harlem, these ol’ blocks
It’s what made me, saved me, drove me crazy
Drove me away then embraced me
Forgave me for all of my shortcomings
Welcome to my homecoming
Yeah, it’s been a long time coming” –Diddy, “Coming Home”

Home is a huge theme in the young adult life.

There’s the home you grew up in for better or worse and either appreciating it for all the love and support it gave you, or finally having the freedom to break free from a home that was never really home.

Then there is creating home for yourself, be it in the new friends you make, when you go off to college, or in a space of your own.

For me home is Massachusetts, the whole state, with it’s familiar cities, big lights, Boston, the T, accents, and comfort foods.

Home is also my family of origin and where they live. Home is also that feeling I get when I’m with my fiancee, he feels like home. I’m safe, I know who I am, I’m loved.

Home is also churches. I always feel connected to who I am, more centered, and God’s presence is so much stronger and tangible, when I’m in a place dedicated to worshiping him.

For a lot of people my age we’re figuring out what home is, who home is and how we can create one when we’re flung into places that are far from familiar.

I’m struggling with that right now living with my new roommates. I love the haven of having my own room, and getting to know these godly ladies. But it’s not home.

So much is just different. A lot of times meals are just so unstructured, sometimes someone planned to cook and I’ll come to that, or I might cook, or I’ll fend for myself. We don’t always pray together to bless the meal.

Sometimes I really miss how when I would come home, my mom would always take a moment to find out how I’m doing and what I did that day. That happens here sometimes often times it doesn’t.

We all have our own lives and friendships, and sometimes just because I don’t know them much at this point it’s unclear how to approach someone when they’re sad, or what people like to do at the end of the day. I have to figure things out, and it’s not always comfortable.

It’s not home.

And I’m not sure that by the time I leave to create a life with my fiancee it will feel like home. That’s okay, I’m good with whatever occurs. It’s just really nice that I have a roof over my head, people I get along with, and a place of peace. It’s not home, but that’s okay. I do still belong here. And there’s always home with my family, with my fiancee, and with God.

How is that going for others, how do you create home, when you’re outside of your family, in college, in church? What feels most like home to you?