Home

What is home? Google states that the definition of the noun home is 'the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household' and as 'a place where something flourishes, is most typically found, or from which it originates'. To me home is associated with lasting memories, a sense of belonging, loving family, supportive friends, traditions, a familiar bed. My bond with the city of Nashville has been steadily growing over the last few years and is currently the strongest it has ever been. I feel now that Nashville is as much my home as Washington state is. Now... before my mom's heart completely breaks, I'd also like to make it clear that Washington state is still home too. Nothing can ever replace the fond feelings or the strong connection I have for the place I was born and raised. A big part of who I am is because of growing up there and I am proud of it. 

When I first moved across the country, my intention was that it would only be for a couple years. At that time I couldn't imagine any place becoming as much home to me as WA. Even with an existing support system of amazing friends, moving to a new place and culture can be tough. As many of you know, I missed my family and childhood home a lot and moved back after only a year. However, moving back was not the same - it was not what I had imagined it would be. The place and people were generally the same, but I was not. Many people back in WA still ask me when I'm moving back 'home'. Though it was a short experience, I have already moved back. I have been there and done that and feel I am where I am supposed to be here in Nashville. Things of course can and quite possibly might change down the road, but at this point in time I have no plans or intentions of moving back to the same area of my childhood. 

Until you spend a significant amount of time in it, you cannot truly know a place. I have lived in Nashville now for 1/4 of my life and those years between 24 and 32 have been significant for me. It may not be obvious from the outside - I haven't gotten married or started having kids - but I have become confident in who I am as a person. I have grown into a real adult here. I found and moved into my first solo apartment here. I have utility accounts in my name here. I found my ophthalmologist, dentist, and chiropractor who I see regularly here. I have a network of people I care about deeply here - from my close circle of friends who are family to me, to the few actual family relatives nearby, to my co-workers, to my church family. 

I recently returned from a visit to the Pacific Northwest and my flight back to Nashville is always filled with thoughts of home. Of the home I'm leaving and the home I'm returning to. I love traveling to a wide variety of places but the feeling of returning home after a time away is one of the most comforting things in the world, no matter where home is. I feel extremely blessed to be able to call two such beautiful places home.