Home is Where the Heart Is

What does home mean? You see, home is so much more important than people think. It’s like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Imagine that you didn’t have a safe home. What would you do? Well, many Canadians have to go through this everyday. Charmaine and Melody had to go through this for 12 years. Both of their sons suffer from a disorder, causing them to have to receive treatments, leaving them broke. Melody is also wheelchair bound, making it even harder for the family to find affordable houses. They moved over 9 different times since their sons were born, and most of the time had to move because of problems with their houses. They reached out to Habitat for Humanity, who helped them find a safe house that they could afford. As well as not having safe houses, some kids have to live in homes with unsafe people. From a study in 2016, about 26% of children have to live in abusive households in Canada. Abuse can make kids scared of going home, plus make them feel unsafe in places that are not their home. These aren’t homes, but houses. House is a building, while home is a place that should make you feel protected, cared for, and comfortable. Imagine your home. What do you feel? That feeling is what home is. A house is not a home if you feel unsafe, and no one deserves to have an unsafe home. Home is so important, though we take it for granted. Many people don’t get to have a home, and there are so many people that have to undergo abuse or poverty, and we should be grateful that we don't have to. So, remember, home is much more than a place, it's a feeling.