A Place to Call Home

On By Shayleene MacReynoldsIn travelblog

As important as it is to travel, it is just as important to have a home to come back to. We all yearn for those connections and we yearn for that sense of belonging. For that basic foundational concept of humanity that says I am from here. This is home.

And so, when I’m gone for too long, I find myself missing that. I miss waking up to the duck, whose early morning, incessant quaking is a plague upon both my sleep and my sanity. I miss the little hens that nurse their eggs. Their ruffled feathers and the way they peck at my fingers when I reach for the small, imperfectly shaped treasures that lie beneath them. I miss the weight of those warm eggs in my hand.

I miss my garden. I miss watching the flowers open up to the early light of morning. I miss the reflection of the rising sun against the ripened tomatoes that hang heavy from the thin and arching vines, drooping in perfect fullness. I miss tracing the patterns of the succulents, discovering in awe the varying shades of greens and pinks and purples that paint a masterpiece on every single leaf.

I miss the mewing of the cat as she follows me around the house, darting and weaving in front of me, starting when I trip over her wicked little feet. Back and forth and back and forth until you hear the trickle of the kibble as it hits her porcelain dish, which, in my sleepy state, spills up over the edges and spreads out onto the kitchen floor.

I miss my bed. The mattress is old but it is perfectly conformed to my sleeping figure and there is no bed in the world better suited for my body than this one.  The sheets contain small remnants of my work in the garden, little bits of soil and bark cling to them. They scratch and rub against my legs when I slip between them but I even miss that. The little imperfection. And I miss the pile of animals that sleep at my feet and contribute to the streaks of dirt that adhere to the white comforter but I’ll never have the heart to toss them out. They keep me warm on cold nights and they give me comfort and they give me love.

I miss the way the faucet in the kitchen leaks and the light in the bathroom flickers and the toilet runs at random hours and requires careful attention when flushed.

The creaking of the house that is like a soft, melodic lullaby, lulling me into my deep state of slumber. I know it is the termites eating away at the frames but I love them dearly for the symphony they put on for me each night.

This is my home. This is where I belong. Amongst the gate that never closes all the way and the doors that never lock just right and the stove that can only be lit from one range, otherwise it will begin to sputter out a strange smoke signal. I believe it is communicating with the refrigerator whose humming never ceases.

As beautiful as it is to have the starry sky splayed above my head it is sometimes just as beautiful to look up at the cobwebs clinging to the corners of my arched ceilings.

This is the place I miss. Home. I love it all when I am away and frown upon it when I am there but it is still home. It is where I belong and where my roots are laid, right alongside the potatoes that lay buried deep within the soil.

42 thoughts on “A Place to Call Home”

  2. prashantt

    Hey! Shayleene…first i would like to thank you for stopping by my blog that gives me an opportunity to visit your wonderful & honest sound wrapped in words.
    I am also a travel freak who is on a travel at present too but at last you feel comfort & a vibe of rejuvenation only at home…Its nice to be get in touch with you here.
    Stay blessed & enjoy while travel🙏💐

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz said “there’s no place like home”. We know that after being on the road a period we both look at each other and know its time to head home. Home is everything to wrote about. It’s great reading your words and seeing the world from your pics and words.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. I so agree with your post…no matter where you travel and how much you love travel, its always good to be back home, even if its an apartment in the city like mine😊. Was actually to imagine your home which seems just perfect!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. I very much agree that a base, to operate from and return to, makes travel richer. Our home has random artifacts, from our travels,haphazardly displayed in various rooms of our home. They serve as inexplicable connections to our adventures and remind us that to travel is sometimes better than to arrive. Great post!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. This could be written by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.☺️ Great post. Btw, loved reading your “About” page. While some the details of our journey and perhaps some of our beliefs may differ, I believe at a high-level we savor life’s journey in a similar way. So nice to meet you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

          1. I found it hard to increase our views or visitors traffic on WordPress. And I’m very confuse what contents should I post on my Blog. What should I do? Any suggestions? Anyway, can I ask for your Twitter or Facebook? So that I could sharing and asking for an advice? Thanks in advance

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

            1. Facebook is Shayleene MacReynolds.
              My best recommendation is to pick a platform. What inspires you? What do you want to talk about? Travel? Love? Politics? Community? Are you a writer? A poet? Find what you enjoy, and let that guide your page. Keep a consistent theme; otherwise you’ll confuse readers. If you need help, I’m more than happy to help you! Feel free to add me on Facebook and message me. 💕

              Like

              Reply
  17. Sudhir

    Am really enjoying your writing, Shay. And privileged you introduced me to your blog a couple of months ago. Stay well and creative — and fulfilled !!!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment