Being Home For The Holidays

I was inspired to write on the subject of being home for the holidays by this blog post on [hip-ster-krit]

I moved out of Buffalo just in time for the holidays. Originally, this was just supposed to be a visit home for the holidays, but I am now living here.

I haven't seen my parents in two years. Things are very different. Because my parents are in the military, they don't have the same house they did when I moved to Michigan. In fact, they don't even live in the same country. So coming home is strictly coming home to my parents. I am not coming home to my room, or to my hometown. Just my parents. I find that this prioritizes the relationship I have with them. "Home" is where your parents are.

However, things are still the same. The silverware is in a different drawer, and we have different furniture, but the dishes still need to be washed and put away at night, and the floors still need to be vacuumed during the day. This is home. Having the same parents, with the same rules and routines.

My return home for the holidays is much more significant than the return home for my friends. Not having seen my parents in years, and having left on a bad note in the first place, this move home is a time to rekindle and restart relationships. I have grown, as have my parents. I feel as if our relationship has grown as well. Perhaps it was the time apart that brought us together. Perhaps its my being a different person that has brought us together. And maybe we just missed each other.

But on top of moving back in with my parents, I also moved back to Okinawa, Japan. I lived in Okinawa during the ages of 10 to 13. I truly enjoyed it, and I find myself loving Okinawa still. Part of me wouldn't mind making Japan my permanent home [if I can ever have one of those]. And now that I am older, I find that I can experience Japan in a completely different way. Being 18 brings me more freedom both in my parent's eyes, and in the world's eyes. I am looking forward to further exploring a former home of mine.

One thing that I have found strange about Japan as I have taken a couple of walks around base in these couple of days is that most of my most memorable and weirdest dreams are located here on the housing area of Camp Foster. Another weird thing is that they are located in very insignificant areas, places I didn't really frequent when I lived here. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe it was the age I was when I lived here.

For some, being home for the holidays means being with family on a family holiday and enjoying your hometown. But for me, being home for the holidays means rejuvenating strained relationships with family, and rediscovering an old home.