"Going Home" Guest Post: Kerry from First Time Fancy

While I am enjoying my time home in New Brunswick, I have had the pleasure of sharing a few guest posts from a few of my favourite bloggers.  I knew Kerry from First Time Fancy would have a great perspective on the idea of going home, having just relocated out west.  We were sad to see her go, but what an amazing place to move to - and then there's the fun of having a whole new house to redo! :)

Hi there Wicked & Weird readers! I'm Kerry from First Time Fancy, and I'm so happy to be filling in for Lisa today. Lisa has to be one of the friendliest and most welcoming people I've ever met, so I was more than happy to step up and help her out! When she mentioned the topic of "Going Home" and what that meant to me, I was instantly inspired. Back in April, we uprooted our tiny family and moved from Toronto to the Greater Vancouver Area. It was a big move, and has made "Going Home" mean multiple things to me. Just recently, on a flight from Vancouver to Toronto another passenger asked me if I was headed home or for a visit. I thought about it for a second and then replied, "I guess a little of both", and I honestly think that is the best answer I could have possibly given her. I may no longer live in the GTA, but it will always feel like home for me. From the streets of Toronto's concrete jungle, to my parents small suburban neighbourhood, this is where I grew up and this is the place that shaped me. 

{via pinterest}

I think the only way I could possibly explain this feeling, is the feeling of familiarity I have when I am on the streets of the city. Despite growing up outside of the city, my parents never passed up an opportunity to bring us to different outings and events downtown. As a child, the streets of Toronto intimidated and intrigued me, as a teenager they challenged and invited me and when I moved there as an adult, they embraced me. The hustle and bustle of Toronto, with no shortage of places to explore, I have always loved the city. 

My other half, who is from Boston, told me recently that when he returns it doesn't really feel like home to him anymore. For myself, I can't imagine that Toronto will ever feel like anything other than home. They say Home is Where Your Heart is, and my heart truly does reside in this concrete jungle.

{Rumspringa via pinterest}

Of course, my heart is being pulled in two directions, and I couldn't be more okay with that. Ever since moving to British Columbia, it feels more and more like home by the day. We're slowly filling our new space with pieces that we have transformed ourselves, pieces from our old home, images of our tiny family, and other things that we love. 

If I have learned one thing in these short 4 months since we moved, it is that "Home" is not just the bricks and motor in which we reside. It's not only the pieces that we choose to surround ourselves with. It's largely about the people that we share our space and our life with. It's the people we love and cherish, and the people who hold you up and make you smile when you feel that you can't go on. For me, "Home" truly is wherever these two are...

So, for me, "Going Home" works both ways. Whether I am flying to Toronto or Vancouver, I always feel that I am headed to a place that I call Home. I must say, I feel pretty lucky to have a place I consider home, in two cities that I love very much. 

Thank you Lisa - for asking me to visit, but also for forcing me to really think about "going home". I hope that you have enjoyed your time back home!

Thank you so much Kerry - you are so right that home is more about the people you are with than the things surrounding you.  And little cuties can certainly make any place feel like home!  I can't wait to see how my other guests describe their version of going home.  Barb's post is here if you haven't seen it, and mine is here.  I am learning so much about you guys!