Friday, February 27, 2009

I just wanna go home

So, I had my hair cut on Thursday. While Cathy D. (of Cathy D. Hair Salon, naturally...) worked on the finishing touches, she had my chair turned to the wall. After putting down her blow dryer, she spun me around to face the mirror and announced, "There, now you look New Jersey."
It was at that moment that I came face to face with what I am right now- a Jersey girl. Suddenly, I had the urge to run home crying. How did this happen? I am and always will be Laura. I'm just Laura and my home is where my heart is.
I was thinking about home recently. Sometimes as an adult child returning home, I can be driven a little insane. My parents know that I pay my own utility bills on time every month, but I still can't be trusted to remember to put my dishes in the sink? I feel like the repeated phrase from my mouth is always "I knoooooow!" It's frustrating that they don't realize how grown up I have become.
On the other hand, my home will always comfort me. I love love love seeing my brick porch with cast iron swirls guiding my way up the steps. I love opening that big wooden door and walking into the light, smell, and feeling of my childhood. Dinner with my family is the best. My dad goes all out with presentation, the candles and the whole shibang. My mom makes enough food to feed an army, and always remembers to heat up leftovers for those who don't want the meal being served. I was literally dreaming the other day of the shishkebobs my mom puts together and my dad grills. DELICIOUS. Of course, not to sound eck eck corny but everything is made better by the fact that it is my family sitting around the table. Another cool thing about home and food is that the party never ends until the food runs out, and in my family, the party never ends!
That being said, I figured out why I feel very squirmish about ever moving back home. It's because my siblings aren't there anymore for the most part. Everybody has flown the coop. My sisters are married off and having babies. One sister is in college. My brother is away from home and only my baby sister and parents remain. I still love and adore them, but it's not my family as I knew it.
My ideal situation would be this: Everybody move back home. It is possible. Jobs can be changed and (extremely reasonable) real estate can be bought. It is a win/win. I say we're all in this together. If I can talk them all into this, we will have the good life. Think about 50 years ago, mostly because that is the number I just thought of, people didn't move all the time. People graduated from high school, went to college locally while living at home, went into the family business, and moved into their own house in their parent's cul-de-sac when they were married! It's so simple! That way all the cousins can be friends. All the kids can stay in very good touch with Mom and Dad. And best of all, the siblings will be able to lean on each other in a way that is just not possible over the phone.
Life is just too short to forget what's important. I would hate to become one of those families that only see each other once a year. I just wanna go home...but only if my heart can be there too.

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