Oh, I am missing Italy/home!!!In the last week I have been corresponding with a few wonderful bloggers on the importance of place or home. We are in agreement that there are some places where one feels instantly home (slightly different than "at home"), even if we have never been there. For example, Scarlett of "From the Shores of Introspect and Retrospect", knows she will be at home in Italy and may not even come back, even though she has never been there. Michelle at "bleeding espresso..." knew she had found her home when she went to her grandmother's village in Calabria. I, too, felt instantly home in Italy, as I knew I would when I first went there. Every time I fly back from Italy to the U.S., to what is supposed to be my "home", I get very confused and saddened because I feel like I am leaving my home! To deepen this discussion, I also believe that there can be multiple places where we feel home. For me those locations are very distinct from Italy: one is Santa Cruz, California and the other is Tibet. In both instances, the minute I arrived in those places I felt that I was home.
Perhaps my eloquent sister put it best today, when she sent me this photo of her, taken two weeks ago in Alaska. She said that she felt like she was "stepping into herself" or like she "was lying her head down on a soft pillow", and I will add to that - "and exhaling." Ahhhh. She had arrived in the Arctic - the place she always knew would be "home." It shows...she is positively glowing!
Where is your home, or the homes of your soul? Do you feel the power of a place that calls to you?
8 comments:
Well you know I know where you're coming from here (hah!). Thanks for the mention :)
I love your sister's description of that feeling of just knowing you are physically where you need to be--it helps during the hard times when I miss my family and think about missing my niece and nephew grow up.
None of this is easy, but then again, if it were, what fun would that be?
I'm glad you and Scarlett are getting on well--I knew you would ;)
Hi, thank you so much for your lovely comment on my blog. It is wonderful meeting so many new and like minded people. Isn't it incredible that through the power of words and food, we can touch somebodies heart and soul. Your post today touched me deeply as I have spent half my life in England and half in Africa and the whole feeling completely divided. When I am here, Africa is home, and when I am there, I miss this little corner of Somerset. Yet I have decided to concentrate on how lucky I am to have experienced both so truly and deeply, which is more than a lot of people can say. I still get homesick though, usually only when my husband is away. I suppose that in the end our sense of home is also srongly linked to those we love - it's where the heart is.
Thanks for posting this subject. I love the photo as it reminds me of my visit to Italy. I would love to know exactly where the photo was taken.
Home is where the heart is and it is where we feel completely comfortable with self. Location matters, yes, however one's spirit, attitude and love are what really makes "home". When I lay my body down at night in my cozy bed here now in wonderful Santa Monica, I feel home as well as grateful. Other places I love and feel a deep sense of home and belonging are: Princeville, Hanalei, Island of Kauai, Hawaii, and Big Sur, California. As I write this I realize that in all these places I love as home I am able to walk in nature. So I see that I feel very much at home in nature, where I can partake in deep visceral in and out breaths.
Sognatrice - you are most welcome, but then you are a prime example of following your instincts to "home", despite the difficulties.
African Vanielje- Welcome and you are welcome! I definitely know that feeling of being divided which makes this topic so interesting.
Rebecca - yes, home can be where the heart is, and like you nature plays an important part for me as to where home is.
All - stay tuned for another post on this subject because I have more thoughts on this that I need to share with others.
I know exactly the feeling you're talking about, and I just posted about it myself!
Your sister looks very, very happy. Good for her!
Thanks Christina! Your post was beautiful too. And, yes, my sister is really glowing here.
This is something a lot of people must be pondering lately. I just wrote an article about it on travelcloseup.com
I guess it is hard when you live somewhere that doesn't feel like home, but your loved ones are there - this is my experience right now. I am still looking for that place, but I am happy to hear that others think on it as well!
Jenndz - I loved your article and I really like this topic. It is a powerful notion but very subjective, isn't it?
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