Over the course of my life, I have lived in a few different places but mostly around the same area.
When I was born, we lived in what was then called Cooksville. It is now a part of Mississauga. I lived there until grade 3. My memories of living there revolve around the number of kids that lived on the block and the fun we had. In those days you could go out and play and not worry about child predators. We were always outside playing games like hide-and-seek with all the kids. My memories are all fun ones.
In grade three, we moved to Brampton. I was so excited to move because the house was much bigger, and it was a two-story. I no longer had to share a room with two sisters, but one brother. I lived in that house until two years after graduating college. I have so many memories of that house and the times our family spent there. Most of my growing up years were there and when I think of "home" that is the place that comes to mind.
When I was 23, I moved out on my own. It was pretty exciting for me as I felt like I was an adult for the first time in my life. It was a small one bedroom basement apartment and I loved it.
John and I got married in 1987 and I moved to London (Ontario) where he was working. It was a tough transition for me as I was now two hours away from all my family and friend, but it didn't take me long to settle in. I fell in love with London and would move back there in a heartbeat. We had our first home there where Matthew was born. When he was two we moved to a larger home where Spencer was born. We were only in London for 8 years.
In 1994 we moved to Barbados when John took a position in an insurance company there. Although it was a tough move to make, we settled in very quickly and started to enjoy life in the Carribean. We quickly made strong and lasting friendships, and our friends immediately became family. We all have so many fond memories of the five years that we spent there. Cameron was born there. After 5 years, it was time to return to Canada.
In 2000, we moved back to Canada and settled here in Oakville. Life is good, even with the bumps in the road along the way. I have no plans on moving again any time soon.
My memories of those two houses where we grew up are also very happy ones, although we did drive each other nuts at times. As a matter of fact, I agree, they were not houses, but they were home. That sense of "home" is what you take with you no matter where you live, and it is one of the most wonderful gifts we can pass along to our children.
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As you know, I've also lived in a number of places across the USA and Canada. There's no one place that I call "home," but there are many places that have been homes, not just accommodations, for me.
ReplyDeleteDave and I have always had the attitude that, regardless of where we are, our home is what we make it. We loved living in Kentucky, Toronto, St. Marys, Winnipeg, Iowa City, and now Fairfax/Washington DC. Each of those places have unique cultures and features that we grew to love.
From Kentucky Wildcat basketball, to the Blue Jays and great Mom-and-Pop fish & chip shops in Toronto, to the Stratford Festival and bagpipe parades of St. Marys (I hate bagpipes, but the parades were great), to the perogies (smothered in sour cream, grilled onions and bacon bits)and incredible choral music in Winnipeg, to Big Ten football and laid back, down home friendliness in Iowa, to the unique juxtaposition of city, suburban and rural life of northern Virginia, we've lived rich and varied lives. And we've loved every bit of it.
Home is not a place, it's an attitude. As Joanne said, if we can pass that conviction to our children, they will be content and fulfilled wherever they are.
"Home" is not necessarily a thing - it is the people. People give us the sense of security and warmth that a home brings, not the collection of things we place around the house. However, sometimes those things are a means of recollecting memories of people and experiences we have had. It is the warmth of those experiences that is "home". I agree that the sense of home goes with us no matter where we live. It is the love, security and warm memories that we pass along to our children.
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