This phrase always makes me think of the song by Peter Paul and Mary of the same title.
Home.
A house is the physical building a person lives in. Home is a place where you feel comfortable, safe, and cared for. While I can find those things in the presence of people I love, whether it be at their homes or at public venues, I am fortunate to feel them in the place where I live as well. My house. My home. Perhaps it is because I have put so much into this dwelling and property, or it could also be that so much of love and life has been shared here.
Recently I spent time with people I love sitting in a park painting surroundings and sharing things that weighed heavy on our hearts. The results were some acrylic paintings, like the one I’m posting, and a respite for the ache of the heart.
Heart.
I’ve always felt there is heart in my home. And I always look for that visual presence when I gaze into other homes and properties as I’m traveling about by car or bike. You can tell it’s a home when there’s that warm glow within it, or when you see people gathered around it in casual stances, or at play.
Everyone deserves to have a place they can feel comfortable and safe. I think that can be possible if we just care for one another and find ways to express it.
A wonderful expression of putting heart into home can be seen in a recent picture book by Sandy Brehl and Illustrator Rebecca Hirsch titled IS IT OVER? Check it out, it’s a heart warming story.