From Their's to Our's

The literary eloquence of Maya Angelou has a way of bringing to life emotions that rest deep in the human heart. In one of my numerous moves in the past four years I received a card from a dear friend with a quote of Angelou's that profoundly states the sentiments of my heart.

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself."

I remember the first time my mother excepted that "home" had become somewhere different for me than the childhood home in which I grew up. I had just left work and was headed back to my apartment for the evening. My mother called me on my drive. She simply said, "call me back when you get home." She then quickly asked me if I caught what she had said. I have to admit I had not picked up on what she was questioning. She said, "I called your apartment your home." I realized this was a BIG DEAL for my mother. Her acceptance of my "home" finally solidified my moving forward in life.

We have many homes, I still occasionally refer to my parent's house, my childhood home, as "home." But I have found that there is a great importance in calling "wherever I find myself" home.

After dinner this evening, an amazing roasted chicken with stuffing and cranberry sauce prepared by Joan, my new favorite cook, the four of us found ourselves sharing the kitchen to clean up. The job of putting the dried dishes away fell upon me. Joan took notice as I correctly placed the knives and spatulas in their proper drawers and with a smile was impressed. As I went from cabinet to cabinet and drawer to drawer Kathy stated that when you know your way around the kitchen you know it's become your home. (I may be paraphrasing there! But it was something of that liking.)

This has been the easiest move I've made in a few years, and Corpus Christi has been the easiest place to transition into calling home. I have noticed that I have gone from asking questions about where "they" keep things to where "we" keep things. The Their's have become Our's and Corpus Christi has become home.