Why the Next 30 Days are Going to Rock

They say "Home is where they always love you."

For me, while that is true, home is where I always love to be. I don't think any other life could compare with being surrounded by family on the regular, and being able to stop over friends' houses to do nothing for hours on end. Not to mention eating homemade food, having a fridge stocked for me and getting to fly by the seat of my pants. Family can get annoying, but so can friends and school and life. But when it comes down to it, there's always something here, at home, where I can always find peace.

Home extends beyond the boundaries of the house or yard. It includes Bay Village, neighboring suburbs, my high school, the city of Cleveland, and the houses of countless friends and families. The welcoming attitude that seems to permeate this time of year does not end after the holidays for me when I am home. It's here year-round. Whether I've been away for a day or many months, I never feel like a stranger.

It was after hanging at one of my best high school friend's home last night that this became a strong realization for me. I hadn't seen him or his family in months, and yet it was as if no time had passed since I would stop by weekly during high school. I am fortunate beyond words to have this life and the people in it that I do, both at home and away from it. I acknowledge that. I believe this is part of the reason why I try to be so hospitable to others; it is a small way in which I can pay it forward. I hope that people will always find my place of residence, both now and in the future, as a place that they can drop in and stay at for any length of time.

So, for the next 30 days or so, as I explore the largesse of homes that I call my own, I hope to share my appreciation for those who have allowed me to have this wide area of welcoming and share the same welcoming attitude to all whom I encounter, both during this holiday season and hereafter.