The House That Built Me

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Driving home from a weekend away, we were listening to a local country station, and Miranda Lambert's recording of The House that Built Me written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin began playing. It is a beautiful song that captured my heart several years ago as I have always imagined that I would like to go up to the front door of one of the homes I lived in when I was younger, knock and ask if I could come in and see my old bedroom and backyard. I imagined doing it just to see how I would feel. I never did it, of course. I recently went by that home and my heart sank as I saw the windows boarded up and the house abandoned. Although I was quite young when we lived there, I have some memories, but also some of those memories are coupled with pictures documenting our time there.

The song says:

"If I could just come in

I swear I'll leave

Won't take nothing but a memory

From the house that built me..."

While we were driving, tears rolled down my cheeks as I made the realization that really and truly it is not the house (or houses) that built me. It is the love that was shared with me and the lessons that were taught to me by my parents. It can also be said that we carry our homes in our hearts. No matter where we move to after we grow up, we always carry those beautiful blessings with us. I am fully aware that not everything is ideal in everyone's homes. I pray for peace in those homes.

Rambling down the road making our way home made me grateful for the longing to return and the appreciation for the home where my husband and I have done the majority of our parenting. I hope our children have the same feeling about the "house that built them" that I have... you carry it in your heart no matter where you roam. We are blessed with a physical home they can always come to when they need some recharging or when they just want to come home for a visit.