What is home? For me, it used to be hard to define. Even though I understand better now, in the past I would ask myself, “What does it mean to come back to a place called ‘home?’” As many of you may agree, where ever your family is might be considered to be your home. But what if I want to think of home in terms of a specific location? Could home be South Korea, my birthplace? Is it here in South Bend, Indiana?
This is the difference between you and me. I know that most of you would be able to respond right away. I, on the other hand, cannot. In my perspective, most of you have never packed up your furniture, and it seems as if you have known the same people ever since kindergarten.
Throughout the eighteen years of my life, I have attended five elementary schools, three middle schools, and fortunately one high school. In addition, I have lived in seven different places: Korea, Hatfield and Broomall in Pennsylvania, Honolulu in Hawaii, El Centro and Monterey in California, and finally, Granger in Indiana.
At this stage of my life, I don’t mind moving to a whole new area. I love meeting new people and I love experiencing different surroundings. In fact, by now, I’m an expert when it comes to packing my stuff, putting them in boxes and distinguishing what I need and what I don’t need to take with me. My problem, however, is moving from a place I have grown attached to.
I have been living in Indiana since the summer before eighth grade, which is the longest I have ever been in one place. Indiana, in my opinion, is not the best location to be in: I dislike its random weather, I miss the beach, I have never seen so much dead animals out on the roads, and I have never been late to an event because of a train until I came here.
Despite all this, however, this is the closest place to home for me. Indiana is where I discovered myself as an individual: this is where my high school is; this is where all the relationships that matter to me started; this is where I first learned how to drive; this is where I discovered my potentials, strengths and weaknesses.
It’s really interesting. Just five years ago, if someone asked me where my home was, I would not be able to respond. Speaking for my family and myself, this is our first home. It may be the people around us who have influenced us (or vice versa) who have helped us to call South Bend a home. It may be that after all the travelling my family and I have done, we finally settled down in Indiana. I almost forgot the meaning of what a home really is.
I honestly cannot say if I will be back here after I leave this summer. Who knows where God will lead me in the future. In a way, I cannot wait to see what He has in store for me; but another side of me wants to stay put.
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