Homecoming

As I walked with the students and a couple fellow staff members down the streets of the University, passing out organizational information and candy to those who had come to enjoy the annual parade, I started thinking about the word Homecoming. What exactly does it mean to the University and its constituents? Do the students, alumni, faculty and staff really think of the University as home? Or is the word just a representation of an annual celebration of school pride, with a slice of football and a sprinkle of Greek domination?

We are often told that home is where the heart is. But, what are our options? Does this mean emotional attachment to a location or, literally, wherever the heart is? Is it, maybe, as simple as permanent residence? As the marching band sounded off in the distance, and the smell of hotdogs started to radiate from the football stadium, I realized that in all cases it is a sense of comfort.

Whether the attachment is a blood line, familiarity, or a solid connection to the self in the moment, the idea of home is a pleasant one when based on the above declaration. So, I continued by asking myself, where is my home? Is it in St. Louis where I grew up? Is it in Springfield where I have spent the majority of the last ten years of my life? Is it in Long Creek, South Carolina where I acquired a strength that redefined my idea of existence? Or is it anywhere I happen to be in the moment?

At the end of a long day, I look forward to going to my one-bedroom apartment in Springfield. Therefore, I assumed this was my definition of home. But, after some reflection, I realized that home actually means going to a place where I find comfort, and confidence, in being myself. And, truthfully, that can be anywhere I want it to be.