Monday, October 19, 2015

October 19: Writing Prompt #292-Home Sweet Home

When you’re away from home, what person, thing, or place do you miss the most?
It all depends on the circumstances, but this most recent trip away from home to the San Juan Islands included all of my immediate family and pets, so what I missed most was my bed and just my own space to just be me in.  I missed the physicality of my home. 
When I went to see my parents in December with my youngest son, I missed my husband and dog the most.  Celebrating the holidays without my closest friend was tough, and our dog was only 2 months ours, so I worried about him and how he was adjusting.  
While living overseas and away from my “home” in the United States, I missed so many things. First and foremost, I missed my AL family and later my OR family.  I missed the crisp, autumn air and the color of the falling leaves. I missed driving down the Interstate with my radio on.  I missed football season, the experience of holiday shopping at the mall, and Christmas Eve with family at Grandmother’s house.  I missed road trips and Evergreen trees, my Aunt’s deep Southern accent and awesome storytelling abilities. I missed zoos and aquariums, hiking, river rafting, water parks, and Southern Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Pie. I missed all the varied opportunities afforded by living here.

I had a wonderful life for 17 years in the islands as I discovered and lived the island lifestyle, but I was ready to come back to the sweet, fresh taste of a Northwest apple, the thrill of a spontaneous road trip, the beauty of a snow-capped mountain at the end of a long day’s hike, and the onset of each new season and the life experiences it brings with it.  What I missed most about home during those years were ALL the things that made it home for me. 

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