I have lived in the same home for the majority of my life. The house before this one I know only in photographs, it was lovely and near the beach, but it was not home. My home is sturdy and made of bricks. The floors are old, wooden and have seen countless pairs of feet since they shown with new polish in 1924. The walls are thick and cold – insulation wasn’t what we have now. The ceilings are tall, making the rooms expansive and welcoming while also making them suitable to house many guests and their laughter. Oh, the laughter. I’ve heard laughter so loud and so robust that I thought the walls might burst, but they didn’t, they just squeezed us in and protected us from anything bad that might be outside.

When I was little and the thunderstorms scared me, I took solace in the words of my mother – that the winds were no match for our old bricks walls. Even when I was in high school and I had experienced a particularly rough day, coming home to my house somehow made it better. My home brings me a sense of peace and calming, and I know others feel the same about their home.

However, I would be remiss to believe that a home is solely made up of the tangible objects. Home is much more than that. Home is the smell of passed down family recipes, the warm embrace of loved ones and the hug of a warm quilt. The idea of home is an interesting one – what do you consider home?

This month, we will be exploring the concept of home and what it means to us. Our writers and photographers are working hard on creating beautiful content not only for the website, but also for the newest print issue which is expected to release in April and is also themed around the ideas of house and home. You’ll find articles on some of the most interesting homes in the area, as well as personal stories about how the meaning of home changes as we grow and mature. Additionally, we’ll delve into decorating, repairs and DIY projects – the more practical side of loving and caring for a home.

So, when someone asks, “Where’s home for you?” we all have deep and meaningful answers. Home might be the brick house that helped raised you, home might be the taste of your mom’s homemade bread – even if the kitchen is now miles away from where you grew up, home might be your cat curled up and purring on your lap. The beauty of home is that it is unique to each of us. We hope you enjoy our pieces as we explore what home means to us and to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

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