Maps

I love Colorado.

Pardon the nationalism, but is it not common to be proud of your home? Granted, not every person is fond of their environment, and not every environment is fond in general. But would you just take a look around here...towering mountains, vibrant skies, fresh air, nature in abundance...I'm incredibly lucky to say that I feel comfortable here. The people are more than often very friendly and hospitable, there is always something to do in every corner of the state, local traditions make up a majority of the rich culture that Colorado is known for, simultaneously too many and not enough great things to say about how entirely beautiful this state is. Over the years I have lived here, I can safely say that I possess a sense of belonging. I feel like I'm in good company there, too.

So why do people still want to leave?

The very same pleasures I find to boast about are another person's gripes about why they just can't stand living here, even coming from natives that have lived here their entire lives. Recently, it seems as if the point of blame is on the influx of foreigners from other states. Several Colorado cities consistently rank in the top 20 of many different national quality of living lists (Louisville seems to rank top 5 often, where Fort Collins and Colorado Springs have been named best city to live in for previous years). Obviously, there is something about Colorado that has families across the country making the trek. I must admit, I myself am technically a foreigner to the great state of Colorado. I moved away from California when I was about 10, and for nearly 10 years I have stayed. Reflecting upon this, it brought up a curious thought. I've lived almost as long in Colorado as I have in California. Although I can never change my nativity to California, if I have lived longer elsewhere, can I really call California my home? The dissonance is pretty strong there.

But what do you classify as home?

Well, why not start with the obvious? The first definition in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for the word 'home' is, "the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives". A pretty literal definition by most people's standards, but a very valid response to the question at hand. But let's think more idiomatically. I've always preferred to clearly differentiate between the concepts of a home and the concepts of a house, as I feel the ideas involved with both divide into the literal and figurative meanings I mentioned before. So what would be the next definition? "The social unit formed by a family living together." We're getting a little closer to the core of classification: a unit that forms through interaction. A sense of belonging, safety, and security. 'Family' is a pretty broad term as it is, so we'll try to keep it that way to avoid rambling any further. As an alternative, the dictionary also lists home as, "a familiar or usual setting, congenial environment; also: the focus of one's domestic attention." This definition strays away a bit from the feeling of unity, choosing to define home in the physical setting rather than by the people in the setting. Home is where the heart is, as they say. We have a couple contrasting viewpoints here, both of which are very good answers to the question of how to classify someone's home.

But how can we say for certain which is the more fitting definition?

Therein lies the point I want to make. Where do I feel more at home at? I mean, I have worked so hard to make a new life for myself through every move, so it's easy to say I am most at home where I am right now. I'm comfortable where I am, living life in a beautiful place experiencing infinite new possibilities. That's what I feel home should be classified as: an experience, apart from a noun. Home is felt from the soul, the deepest parts of our being where we feel most at ease. This doesn't quite finish my point, however. Although this is my feeling of home, you may not agree with it. You may absolutely spite my definition of home. Perhaps you agree with it completely. Maybe you're somewhere in between. That's the beauty of human emotion! Every single experience is completely customized for our own pleasure and nobody else's. It's not often I commend human emotion for something positive. Home challenges us to ask ourselves, "is this where I belong?". A tad existential, but when we open our eyes and see the surroundings bring us joy, that is when we are home. To make a long story short, I can't tell you where your home is.

You'll just have to go and find it.