There's No Place Like Home

Homesick [hohm-sik]
–adjective: sad or depressed from a longing for home or family while away from them for a long time.

This time of year is always especially hard for me to be away. I love autumn and everything that comes with it. I even love window shopping at this time of year because everything that the stores put out as seasonal merchandise is in my favorite colors.

But California does not know the meaning of autumn. There are no cider mills, no leaves changing color, no brisk air that makes me want a scarf around my neck. MacIntosh apples are rare and my pumpkin came from a grocery store parking lot. It’s just not the same. October hold something special in Michigan and I hate that I’m missing it.

Aside of not getting any hot apple cider and a wagon ride out to a patch of ripe for the picking gourds I miss my family a lot. My sister-in-law is having her baby shower soon and I hate that I won’t be able to be there. My niece is on the swim team and my nephew is playing his senior year of high school football. I’ll never see them compete. When I do get a chance to visit home my youngest nephew hugs me and then says “What’s your name again?” A good friend of mine is going through a hard time right now and I can’t be there to support her. “It’ll be ok” sent via text just doesn’t cut it.

Michigan may be at the top of the list for unemployment, the schools may be going downhill quickly, the housing market may be tanking faster there than anywhere else in the country, but it’s home. As much as we’ve moved I’ve never felt like anywhere else was home. Michigan is where my heart is and right now it’s broken.