Home. I’ve written about it quite a few times in the past. It is a topic that keeps coming up in my thoughts time and again because it is something that is close to my heart and because Covid-19 has shown us how important they are.
What is a home? An oasis. A place to retreat at the end of the day. A place we run our lives from. A place we break bread with people close to our heart. A place that protects us. Once the main door is closed, we are off-limits to others. It is a place for self expression. A place to decorate after our own interests. A place that reflects our tastes. A place where our hobbies are given space.
A place on earth that is simultaneously in the world but also detached from it. A place that provides the metaphorical windows to look out onto the world passing by on the other side. A window that gives us a glimpse of the infinite sky and the greenery around. It is our slice of the universe from which we marvel at the universe.
It’s a place we expect to be ourselves. Where we are allowed to be ourselves. A place we can be, without threat, fear. A place we rest-in when we are sick, physically and emotionally. A place where we have people who care for us. A place with people we can count on in times of need.
Who, in this context is homeless?
Not the ones who do not have a home, hobos. But, they are – Those who know they’ll be evicted if they cannot make that month’s EMI/rent. Those who do not want to go home at the end of their workday. Those who need to act in their own homes. Those who do not have people they can count on. Those who eat in their own rooms. Those who erect the barriers of technology to avoid conversations. Those who do not have a space to setup their tools. Those who cannot find some quiet space to look into themselves. Those who do not have a window to look out into the world.
So, do we have a home? or we homeless?
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