November is a month when many of us think about returning home for the holidays. Perhaps
cherished childhood memories of a familial home filled with our parents’ unconditional love
and acceptance and adventures with our siblings come to mind. All of our holiday preparations
strive to recreate that warm, loving and welcoming feeling in our present day holiday
celebrations. The Thanksgiving feast with a turkey (or vegetarian equivalent) surrounded by all
the fixings represents epitomizes that happy celebration of coming home.
When we think of our “ideal home,” we often envision a place where we feel safe and free to
be exactly who we are. No masks or pretense are required to fit in or to be loved and accepted
just as we are. In this safe environment, we are free to discover who we are – and are not!
Although few of us were fortunate enough to grow up in a home that perfectly met this image
of an “ideal home,” we all long for a home where we have some roots, a familiar place where
we belong. Home is a familiar place that we understand and belong. It is our starting point to
wherever we choose to go in life and then return home again.
Like a fledgling bird leaving the nest, we must learn to survive on our own once we leave our
childhood home. In the “ideal home,” unconditional love, a sense of belonging and appropriate
boundaries provide a safe place to explore new possibilities and try out our wings. Some of our
excursions into the external world of school, friendships and exciting new ideas are great
successes. We come home to celebrate with our family. Other excursions are disappointing as
we discover that our skills are not yet ready to handle new situations or that people have goals
and expectations different than our own and may even reject our cherished sense of who we
are.
In the “ideal home,” our parents and family are there to support us through times of success
and failure. They believe in us and lovingly help us sort out who we really are as an expression
of the Divine Infinite Presence. If we didn’t have the gift of an “ideal home,” we can still create
a loving home now and learn to cultivate our connection with the Divine as our always present
Inner Guide. Either way, once we are grounded in who we truly are, we are able to release the
need to play small just to fit in. From our healthy roots, we are able to be ourselves, spread our
wings and fly!
Love and light,
Rev. Pam
