home

today i'm writing a post.. not because i had an amazing time with tom - cause i didn't.. he's been in fresno all week. i'm not writing because i had a nice relaxing day off from work - cause i worked 6 days this week. i'm also not writing because i feel like sharing anything new - cause there really isn't any new news for me to share!! today i'm writing as a shout out to being home.
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on monday i talked to my dear friend shannon and she told me some sad news. her parents home was consumed by flames in auburn and burnt to the ground. as she told me the few details that she could my heart went out to her and her family. i thought about the pictures and irreplacable belongings that they lost. it thought about their dreams of building that home, the hard work, time, money, and the years it took to make their dream home a reality. i thought about the few times i had been there, and how i mourned the loss of their beautiful home. i simply cannot, nor do i want to, imagine what that must feel like - to lose almost everything i own within a matter of moments.
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after talking to shannon on the phone i started to think about all of the things that i would hope to save if that were to happen to me. my mind went to countless things - it was like a domino effect! i would want my journals and pictures, my "special box" where i keep meaningful notes, letters, and keepsakes. there are countless things that i would want to save and cry over if i didn't. this led me to realize that the most precious things i "own" really are my family, the relationships we have, the love we share, and the memories we keep. it made me realize that even if i don't have my journals or pictures or special box - that though the smells and colors of those memories may fade, the feelings surrounding those special times remain. love is such a beautiful and special thing. it's something that can only be destroyed if we let it.
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i love the chance i have to see my family every single day. to walk over to my grandparents house, walk through their front door and see them sitting in their chairs- always ready and waiting to visit with whomever walks through their door. i love how everyday i walk through that screen door my grandpa calls "friend or foe?" haha. he's so cute!! i love the smell and comfort of being home. i love hearing my mom and dad talking in the next room. i love the sound of breakfast in the morning when i'm not wanting to wake up. and yes i mean sound.. haha dishes are loud when you're sleepy. i love the familiarity of home.
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something i realized while talking to shannon is that "home" isn't just the walls that surround us; it really is where the heart is. that common saying really is true!