My Home Away From Home
Growing up at my Nana’s house was the safest place to be when I was younger. Being at my Nana’s house was like being out by the fire cooking marshmallows, warm and comforting. I always knew going to my Nana’s house that I would be safe and sound. She was always there to comfort me when times were tough, or to give me a good laugh. When I was younger it was my home away from home, and now when I go back, it makes me feel like a little kid again.
My Nana’s house is where I grew up at and where I learned how to read and write. I remember sitting at my little table watching a video on the television about the alphabet. I would learn a new letter each day, and after I could write it well enough my Nana would give me ice cream. We would also sit in her big cozy chair and read out of a big blue book. This big blue book contained every fairytale known to man. When we first got the book, my Nana would just read to me. After I started to understand how to read, I would read to her out of the big blue book. I would always feel safe at my Nana’s house. If I were having a bad day, I would always want to go to my Nana’s house. I would sit in front of the fire, if it were cold out, and just take in the warmth and feel better.
My Nana’s house is more than a safe place for me to go when I am stressed, it is a place that I can escape my demons. When I look back on my childhood, every memory that I can remember was at my Nana’s house. Playing on the swing set, learning how to read and write, playing dress up with my friends, or riding on the lawn mower with my Papa. One memory that comes to mind is on every holiday or special event that would be going on in my Nana’s life, she would make a cherry pie. Cherry pie is my favorite type of pie, and I would just love how the aroma of the pie would fill up the house. My Nana let me help her make on of the pies for Christmas one year. Now every time I eat or make a cherry pie I think back to that moment, in that house, where I loved to be.
John Berger mentioned in his essay that ‘home is the center of the world’. For me, my Nana’s house is the center of my world. It’s where I grew up, where I learned how to do so many things, and it’s a place my family gathers for holidays. My best memories are at that house, and that will never change. Berger also infers that the Home’s location changes. Where I live or what I call home, will never compare to my “home” when I was a little girl. I might move a lot later in life during and after college, but my true home will always be at my Nana’s.
My Nana’s house is a safe place for me, because I can get away from people who I don’t get along with during the day. I can also escape any personal problems I might be going through, and clear my head. I was able to be myself without anybody judging me while I was at my Nana’s house. I could be goofy all the time and not have a care in the world. But at the same time, I would feel safe because I was protected by four walls. This home means a lot to me. Not only could I be myself, I had my family there with me. Every holiday my whole family would gather together at this house and we would enjoy each others company. On Christmas we would feast on a big meal around the dining room table and just laugh and enjoy the holiday. Or for Easter, my Nana would hide easter eggs inside and out of the house. I would look all over the house for the eggs, and get so excited when I found one. Memories like these make me want to relive my childhood and go back to that house and live there like I used to.
I chose my Great Grandmothers house as my “home” because of all the memories I had growing up there, and how safe I felt when I was younger. Like John Berger said, this home is “The Center of My World”. Recently, my nana has suffered dementia; its a disease that older people have, and they start to lose their memories. It’s hard for me to visit her at her house, because she is starting to forget the memories her and I made when I was younger. Ever since I moved to Springfield to attend UIS, I haven’t visited the house as often as I would like to.
My Nana’s house was my sanctuary growing up. It wasn’t just a house to me, it was my home away from home. I always knew I could go there just to relax and get my mind off of whatever was bothering me. Now when I visit, I sit on the back porch and picture what life used to be like. I look over and see that my swing set, that I would spend hours and hours playing on, is gone. When I see my Great Grandpa mow the grass, I know that I can’t ride along with him anymore because I am too big. Even though some things are gone and in the past, that house holds the best memories of my life. I hope to own that house one day in the far future, so I can watch my kids grow up and enjoy the same memories I had, and maybe watch them make their own. My Nana’s house is the ‘Center of My World’ whats the center of yours?
I like how you talk about this home as being the safest place to you growing up, I think that has to be a quality of your home growing up. I also like how you talk about Berger’s view on home, I also liked his view and used it in my blog. I also find it very effective that you end the blog with a question because it leaves the idea open for the reader to build off of. I found your blog very interesting and creative.