I find returning home to my regular life after a week of vacation to be a challenging transition. Climbing the stairs to our townhouse, there’s eagerness in my steps, and a feeling of reassurance descends upon me when I realize all appears to be as we left it. After traveling to another country and touring parts of two different cities, (we walked at least 10,000 steps each day) – what is familiar feels new again.
It’s said that one of the gifts of travel is to appreciate more fully the place you call home and most of the time, that’s how it operates for me. Like I’ve been doing in the other spaces I’ve visited or inhabited recently, I find myself admiring the choices we made in carpets and colors, in furnishings and appointments, and in the artistic arrangement of our treasured things. Being away has made my usual surroundings stand out to me vividly again.
Given the cupboard bare, our first meal at home is usually at a neighborhood restaurant just after we’ve sent a text or phone call to family members, letting them know of our safe arrival home. But I won’t feel totally at home until I’ve tending to some of the items mentioned above, and until I’ve spent some time reminiscing and reflecting on all that happened during our time away. Then, depending on the recipients preferred method of communication, I send written thank you notes, or emails, or texts expressing my gratitude to each person who had a part in the enjoyment of our time away. And when a day or so later, we discover another nest in another outdoor hanging basket, with two baby birds inside, we realize we are not alone in our fondness for this place we call home.
Sheila
