Saturday, August 21, 2010

My Home

What do you consider as your home? This could be a big question if you really think about it especially if you have lived in several different locations.

Your birthplace is a place you always call home, South Carolina is where my life began at the old Easley Baptist Hospital so today I still consider Easley, South Carolina as my Hometown, I moved to New Mexico before I was twenty and again moved to Texas where my first son was born when I was twenty three so Texas being my oldest sons hometown was my home for a while, I moved back to New Mexico and lived there for nearly thirty years, so New Mexico has been a big part of my life, three of our children were born in New Mexico and their home state was my home for quite a while, California is where our daughter was born and where she lives today and as most of you know for the last couple of years California has been home for me.

New Mexico is where Cindy and I began our lives together and even though the town we lived was never my favorite and I always wanted to move away we did have a good life there and still have good friends that will always be in our hearts living there so it will always be Home, California is where I told Cindy several years back was a place that I would never live, we actually came out and looked at California (Cindy’s home state) with the intention of possibly moving here back then, ending up making the decision to never live here, my plans were to move back “Home” and live in South Carolina after my retirement. Have you ever heard the statement “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him what Your plans are” well God had a good laugh at my plans and now I am following His.

Now with all of my moving around over the years can you see this vacation scenario, We load up early one morning and leave our home in California for a trip “Back Home” we pass our home in New Mexico and decide to stop off for a couple days to catch up with our dear friends and talk about home, leaving our old home in New Mexico we pass through my old home state of Texas and arrive home in South Carolina the following day, we visit my Home town and pass by the old hospital I was born at and laugh because the new name although different still rings with the sound of the old one from back in the day. After a couple weeks we begin to get homesick and load the van with our away from home luggage and tears well up in my eyes knowing I am again leaving my home.

"Papa was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home", these song lyrics say a bit about this post, wherever you hang your hat is home whether you are living in the same place you were born or all the way across the country remembering how it was back home when you were there. "Home is where your heart is" I have heard this all my life also, so with this said does this mean that all of your good memories of places you have been make those places home? Or does it mean that your happiness and comfort in where you are right now makes you at home now, or does it mean that your discomfort in where you are makes you homesick for your hometown a place you want to call home again?

For me I will always call South Carolina home but I know in my heart that these other places I have lived mean as much as my birthplace because they were a big part in shaping who I am today, Home is where you are whether you want to be there or not, I lived for nearly thirty years saying "I Hate This Place" and wishing to be anywhere else, but it was home as long as I was there, fretting about where you are and wishing to be somewhere else changes nothing but how happy you are at the time, if you are somewhere like this look around and try to find something that will make you smile because in the long run this place is home and will always be part of your life, and also there is something nice wherever you are, you just have to look around sometimes to see it.

Home is where I am right now and if I live out my life right here I will be home, also if I move anywhere else I will be home because that is where God has led me to go and live, Cindy is a big part of my life as you all know, and as long as we are together no matter where we are living I will proudly call that place Home.

18 comments:

  1. Funny that you brought this up. I was filling out a questionairre and had to tell of my hometown. I wondered if it was where I was born or the place I loved the most. I went with the latter, but it did make me pause and think.

    Home has always been where live. Hubby says "Where I come to sit and watch tv in my boxers, is HOME." LOL! Soo true.

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  2. Good post Jimmy!
    I hadn't really given this much thought. But thanks to you I am now...
    Let's see, I know Long Beach California better than anywhere else. I was born there while my dad was in the Navy. But his hometown and where I would have been born if he was a civilian was the tiny little town of Peaks Mill, Kentucky. Except for my brothers, almost my entire extended family is still in that area.
    As much as I'd like to say I'm from Ky, I guess my home town is Long Beach.

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  3. I have been thinking about this a lot lately! I just took a trip back to Ohio where my parents and their parents are from...but I only lived there briefly as a small child for a year. Though it's not my home, it is where my roots are. I was raised a military brat so the rest of my roots are all over the place. I sort of consider the place where I went to high school my hometown, but it's a bit arbitrary. My kids, like yours, have a different home town--one I moved away from. I don't consider my birthplace home at all; only lived there as an infant. I've been in TX for 20 years, and lived here some as a child, so it's home now, though my husband wants to move -- to California! not sure about that at all....though glad to hear you like it.

    Good post, and one that points out just how much the world has changed in the last century. I'm sure no one a hundred years ago would have any idea why hometown would be so confusing.

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  4. FAB post, Jimmy!

    "Home is where I am right now and if I live out my life right here I will be home, also if I move anywhere else I will be home because that is where God has led me to go and live."

    That's my feelings exactly.

    Home to me, is inside. And as long as I feel comfortable within my own skin...I'm home.

    "Papa was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home"

    LOVED that!

    Thanks for sharing, my friend! REALLY enjoyed this!

    Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  5. Sometimes I wish that I was someplace else -- mountains. I want mountains. But in the final analysis, when I come home from work and collapse on the sofa and look around -- awash in the feeling of being 'here' where I am accepted, comfortable, loved and appreciated....well, I'm just glad to be 'home'. Just don't want to be anyplace else.

    Great post.

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  6. I've thought a lot about this lately. I married young and my husband worked for the M.O.D. so his job took him all over Europe, as well as Scotland, where we lived for a while, as well as different parts of England....even Boston Mass; for almost a year, but this is always my home.
    Most of my education was in Switzerland, and I didn't go to school until I was 12! But "coming Home" was always special, even though it was quite often only twice a year.
    So, for the moment, at least, this is my Home and in my heart always will be.
    Loved this post, Jimmy.
    Hope you are all doing well!

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  7. Never lived anywhere but Texas. The past 35 years are only about 10 miles from the house I was raised in. Guess you could say I've never strayed too far from the nest.

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  8. Hey Heather, The latter sounds like a good choice and as far as what your Hubby said about being on the couch in your boxers sounds like a very good description of Home.

    Thank You Pat, Yes Sir you always call your birthplace home, the possibility that you could have been born in Kentucky and having family there will always draw you into that direction, it’s an interesting area to explore and well worth your time to look into it.

    Good Morning Dreamfarm Girl, Having roots all over the place is not a bad thing and it’s great to be happy where you are, Texas is a diverse state and one to be proud of, you are so right about the mindset 100 years ago as most people then would never be out of their hometown much less across the country.

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  9. Thank You Ron, Yes Sir you have to be happy where you are or else it just is not worth it.

    “Home to me, is inside. And as long as I feel comfortable within my own skin...I'm home.” Amen my Friend and a Great weekend to you too.

    Hello Jerry, You summed it all up my Friend by saying although you may want to be somewhere else when you collapse on your couch and look around at the comfort of being surrounded by the acceptance of yourself then you are definitely at home.

    Thank You Sir.

    Hey Alice, Scotland is where my family line began although I have never been there my name originated there and I would like to see it one day, Being proud of your Home is a good thing and in your heart you will always cherish it.

    Thank You My Dear Friend.

    Hey Ms. A, Not many people now days can say what you just did and being that close to the nest so to say for your entire life just ties you to your roots more closely, My Granny never strayed further than 20 miles of her birthplace and she was one of the happiest people I ever knew.

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  10. For me home is the comfortable and familiar place where I can just be my self. Is that in my house in Encino or my office in downtown LA or in the arms of my husband Tim? I do believe that home is wherever you feel a sense of security and belonging. With that said, I don't think you can feel at home anywhere if you don't feel a strong sense of inner peace and tranquility. If you can achieve that then it really does not matter where your physical body resides because wherever you are you will feel "at home."

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  11. I agree...home is where you are right not.
    I grew up and lived most of my life in California, and when I go back to visit, it is very 'homey'...familiar...and I miss it, but it is not home. Having lived in Texas for the past 14 years, even though I don't particularly like Texas, it is now home.
    Home is wherever my bed happens to be.

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  12. oops...I mean home is where you are right NOW..
    dang

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  13. Hey Susie, "I don't think you can feel at home anywhere if you don't feel a strong sense of inner peace and tranquility" that's it in a nutshell so to say if we are comfortable and feel safe then we will remain happy where we are at no matter where that is :)

    Joe I can relate to what you are saying, I too feel comfortable and familiar with my surroundings in South Carolina but after 30+ years away it's not really home anymore sad to say, Home is where I am right NOW :)

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  14. Oh Jimmy! Isn't it funny that sometimes this is a hard question to answer. I am from Kansas, but is that my home? I guess I have to say I feel more like California is my home now and yet....

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  15. Right on the money, Jimmy...home is where the heart is!!!!!

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  16. Hey Betty, It sure can be a hard one but in reality where you are is actually home as all the other places are just places that got you Home.

    Amen SuziCate, Home is where the heart is!!

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  17. Great post Jimmy. I think you should just think that CINDY is home. And wherever the two of you are together is home. Home is where your heart is and it's evident that Cindy is your heart!

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  18. Thank You Peg, I do feel that way, wherever we are I am Home because without her I would be no where.

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