Home
I was lying on the couch when the door opened. I looked over, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My eyes were sending signals to my brain that my brain was having trouble processing. How could it be?
2020 has been surreal. The past 2 months in particular have been exceptional. The COVID pandemic entered its second wave, hitting the US much harder than it did in the Spring; the drama from the Presidential elections is still playing out in the news; the realities and growing awareness of systemic racism has broken our hearts and we continue the struggle of recognizing that Black Lives Matter; I started a new job and moved to a new town.
There is no doubt that 2020 is one for the record books. Last year at this time, we could not have imagined what the year would bring. We have all resigned ourselves to enduring the rest of the year, full of hope for a better 2021. Everything “normal” is out the window, and “new normals” have emerged. We have gotten used to mask wearing, physically distancing, working remotely, and connecting with loves ones virtually.
On Thanksgiving Day, 2020, Tex and I sat at the table in the apartment we moved into a few days earlier and had dinner together, just the two of us. This was a stark contrast to last year when we had a full house with our kids and their significant others, eating and laughing, playing games and dancing.
Finally, it’s December, the last month of 2020. We were cautiously optimistic that Julia would be able to come home for winter break. With the heightened threat from the COVID pandemic, nothing was certain. Not until she actually boarded the plane in Denver two weeks ago did I allow myself to get excited about her arrival. She joined us in the apartment in Lancaster that was festively decorated for the holidays. She was home. And it was wonderful.
As Christmas approached, we had a decision to make. Alexia was working in South Carolina, and could not come home. We are a military family. We know that with service comes sacrifice. We also know that spending time with family is priceless, never to be taken for granted. So we decided to drive down so we could be together. This was not a decision made lightly, and we took every precaution to ensure safety for ourselves and those we would encounter on journey. When we arrived at her apartment complex, Alexia was waiting outside to welcome us. I was overcome with emotion and gratitude as she came into view, waving and smiling broadly. It was 2 days before Christmas. We were at home in her cozy apartment, grateful to be together.
After dinner, I was resting on the couch. The girls left to pick up a few things at the store. A little while later, I heard voices at the door right before the key turned in the lock. I looked up, happy that they were back. But when I looked at the door expecting to see Alexia and Julia, I saw someone else. David came though the door. David who was in Japan with no expectation for leave time or travel. David? I couldn’t believe it. He was hugging his dad. I stood, in shock and disbelief. He was walking towards me. It was David. My knees felt weak. His arms engulfed me in a hug. It was David. I was sobbing uncontrollably. David was home.
I hadn’t given it much thought before, but I now understand the saying that “home is where the heart is.” Our house in Virginia Beach was where our kids grew up, but it was home because our family was together. Our house in Newtown Square was where we celebrated with friends and loved ones, but it was home because we were with the people we love. Alexia’s apartment in South Carolina is where we celebrate Christmas this year, but it’s home because we are together as a family, against all odds.
Home is where you feel safe and loved. It’s where you can be yourself and know that you are enough. Home is not made of bricks, wood, cardboard or gingerbread. It’s made of love, joy, sacrifice, and gratitude.
My Christmas wish this year is that everyone has a home for the holidays.
Merry Christmas, and may all our dreams come true in 2021!
