What is home?

A question of such simplicity and relevance, but manages to evoke a wide variety of responses from people. From a place where you see your family, to a place where you sleep best, home can be so many things. 

I tried capturing 4 basic elements that can define a home:

1)     Home is the base for mobility

This one is borrowed from an article I read, and the term ‘base for Mobility’ sounds like an oxymoron, but it makes a lot of sense. Like the hub of a hub-spoke model, you always go back to the hub to re-route to your next destination. Home does that for us, both physically and mentally. From the Hub you recharge your batteries and then decide which is the next destination to head to. The Hub is also the place where you are mentally in the best frame of mind to reach out to the people you want to connect with. Therefore, home has both physical and mental manifestations.

2)     Home is where the inanimate extensions of your personality reside

Have you ever noticed how the simple placement of your personal coffee mug on a work-desk suddenly makes that desk your own? Home is a lot like that. You place all those things that represent you as an individual around you, and suddenly, even a hotel room could be your home.

3)     Home is where you are valued

Like a phrase I once read, ‘you go where you are invited, but stay where you are valued’, and this is completely true for home as well, since that is the place where you are truly valued. Even the bed in your house values you enough to lend you the best sleep you can get. Everything in your home values you as an individual, both people and things that reside there.

4)     Home is your center of gravity

Just as how the carrying of a heavy rucksack can temporarily destabilize you, home is where you always need to go back to, in order to find that stability. Once you are home and stabilized and grounded, you are ready to now carry the metaphorical rucksack towards your next activity.

Well, that’s me. 
What is home for you?