The concept of "home" is such a prevalent and powerful one in American culture. There's the ever popular "There's no place like home." We measure success with the comparison to a home run (or a real success is worthy of a grand slam). And of course, the seasonal favorite "I'll be Home for Christmas."
It's funny to reflect that just two short years ago, I was celebrating the holidays at home, and then headed off to the hospital on 12/27/17 to begin the process of my stem cell transplant (which basically reset my immune system to zero, and then I began growing a new one). An ongoing process that continues to this day (and beyond) as I gain greater ability to fight off common colds (or similar maladies), while reinforcing the foundation within me for fighting even bigger fights - like having recently fended off a bout of walking pneumonia (now referred to as community acquired pneumonia) with a Z-Pack instead of a hospital stay.
This anniversary gives me enhanced appreciation for being home for the holidays and the enjoyment I get from being surrounded by all of the family and friends that equal "home" in my life. Not everyone can be literally in their home for seasonal celebrations. Life has a tendency to spread us out, and expanding families means sharing celebration time with extended family - sometimes over an equally extended distance. But home is more of a concept, a feeling, an emotion - than a physical location per se. Home is indeed where the heart is; as much a state of mind as a state of being.
So during this holiday season, though you may be far away or sitting next to the warmth of your hearth, make home be wherever you are at that moment - with the people that make it feel so.
Happy Holidays
PS: In this season of endless (and often insipid) Christmas movies flooding the media, there seems to be some disagreement at to whether "Home Alone" is officially a Christmas movie or not. Any readers care to weigh in on that with their opinion?
