Home. It’s a big word, in spite of being just four letters. There are other big four letter words… love, hope, free…but for now, let’s be with Home.
Finding myself currently between outer homes, this word has been very alive in me recently, and I was reminded of a couple of lines from a poem I heard not long ago. I’ll paraphrase, as I don’t have the text to hand. A young woman, a refugee, said she had a home, put her hand to her heart, but that now she needed a house for it.
I realised I was at risk of disconnecting myself from my inner home, as a result of the stress of needing to find a new outer home. Not that I had any issue finding somewhere temporary, I am very blessed, but I am still unsure about where I will live longer term.
Inner Home.
Outer Home.
This became the reflection for one of our prompts during last week’s writing circle. First, we drew a circle in the centre of a blank piece of paper, writing the word Home inside it. Then we wrote words and phrases inside the circle, to represent ‘inner home’, followed by words or phrases outside the circle to represent ‘outer home’.
Then we shared those thoughts, and in 7 minutes, wrote a poem.
This is what I wrote.
Keys, rent, walls.
Silence, safety, pause.
Photos, laughter, food.
Roots, faith, pause.
Garden, kitchen, washing machine.
Song, heartbeat, pause.
Coats hung up to dry,
shoes leave mud on the welcome mat.
Spirit, freedom, pause.
A spare room to welcome, entertain.
When are you coming back?
Private, love, pause.
Worldly shelter, anchor.
Family, ancestor, anchor.
Pause.
Welcome.
Pause
What is Home to you? I’d love to read your thoughts…
If you enjoyed this prompt, then you can find more here:
This (beginning of a) song just came to me on a walk, and I wanted to share if with you as I’d love to know your thoughts before I play with it/refine it/add to it etc a little more. Have a listen. The lyrics are below.
Blessings All xxx
Island
He walks the street alone
then sings a lullaby to the sky
for the kids he left at home
he has no tears
his heart has run dry
because he knows he’s said his last goodbye
I don’t want to be an island
let no ocean keep me from you
I don’t want to be an island
so let’s start something new
Building bridges of words
without action’s worse than nothing
building walls with your hurt
isn’t safety it’s just suffering
so just stop
for a minute
won’t you stop
for a minute
because in your heart you know
we gotta grow together
we gotta grow together
Welcome to GLADvent day five! Yesterday we had the word Learning, so I’ll share this acrostic from a while back:
And now, can you find the fifth stocking?
So, let’s turn it over and see what we’ve got:
WARMTH: “I enjoy it when the world smiles; the more smiles, the warmer I am. ”
– Dejan Stojanovic
Now take a moment to pause and reflect upon how Warmth has shown up in your life recently; whether inner or outer, given or received. And as by a fire, other qualities, feelings gather close when warmth is near. What else was present?
Five stockings turned! Hope to see you tomorrow for number 6.
Do continue to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments section below as you wish…