2025/Brianna-34429

I don’t have a traditional home - I’ve learned to carry pieces everywhere with me, finding home in people, not the place. A traditional home is where you're brought home from the hospital, where a door frame marks your height, or memories of a childhood bedroom linger. I have a unique home, one that will always resonate with me. A home isn’t just a place - it’s a collection of emotions, moments, and memories that shape who we are. My home changes and evolves. It is a sanctuary I feel safe in. The reigning point is that a home, my home, is an environment engulfed in warmth, love, and comfort that holds a special place in my heart.

The most prevalent aspect of a home is the people that reside in it. It is people who you connect with, who you love, and cherish. First, a home is created for you, the foundations are laid out. However, as you grow older you can choose who you have in your home. Family and friends are what create the environment. For me, I have a strong connection with my family. They are what make my home. Not all the physical homes I resided in were magnificent, however they were special to me because of the people who lived there.

You can feel when a home has truly been established. You can feel a shift in reality. From the warmth that surrounds you, the lighter air, and the familiar scents that linger. All five of your senses react in a positive way that makes you smile when you enter. That environment can travel with you wherever you go. However, not all homes are formed effortlessly; they require time and effort to develop. To achieve this environment, my family and I have dinner together and converse about our day. Additionally, we have movie night every Friday. When the sun sets, we all relax with the knowledge of the upcoming weekend. These simple activities and many more build a home environment. Through shared memories, a simple residence transforms a true home.

A home is a place at the end of the day where you can relax in and out the stress of the day behind. It is a place of sanctuary and solitude. The four walls give me reassurance and protect me from the dangers of the outside. I felt this sense of safety most vividly during a snow string in Texas. The street felt abandoned with no lights and we were stuck with the icy roads. I curled up in a blanket and drank hot chocolate feeling content despite the present catastrophe. I felt safe and protected. Similar moments occurred in each place I’ve lived, always resulting in the same feeling of safety.

The Air Force sends my family and me across the world. We don’t know what lies ahead. However, we can be assured with the knowledge that at each house we have a home. By continuing to make memories, maintaining a close connection with my family, and finding safety in each house, I can be assured of a home wherever I go. It will be a home that takes place in your heart and will be one you don’t forget.