while you're ahead…

Ed e’ subito sera  (by Salvatore Quasimodo)

Everyone stands alone at the heart of the world
pierced by a ray of sunlight,
and suddenly it is evening.

My parents have moved out of Italy.

Yesterday.

They now live in the same town, not very far at all.

I was so wrapped up in getting their new place ready, and how happy I was to have them near after so many year that I didn’t give a thought to the fact that ‘we don’t live in Italy anymore’.  Yes I know I left 28 years ago… but ‘home’ was always there… ‘back home’.  Home is family, not just brick and mortar I thought. I guess I was wrong.  I didn’t know but it was both.

Now… I’m not so sure.  Home is also something else.  Mum and dad live three miles away now, not 1800… but for the first time in my life I won’t be visiting my home country every year.  Or maybe I will anyway, but it’ll be different; it will be visiting, not going home.

I feel untethered this morning.  Unmoored.  It is a strange feeling that I wasn’t expecting. A curve ball of emotions I’m not sure how to deal with.

So what is home? Is it the country you were born in? Is it the town you grew up in? The house where your parents still live?  The house you live with your own family/children/husband/partner? Is it your adoptive country?

Is it the people you love?  I’m settling on this one.

What’s home for you?