A Nest of My Own: Seeking Safety Within Four Walls

Whenever I enter the house this time of year, whether in the morning after leaving for an appointment, meeting or curbside dropoff at school, I always experience the same thing: the instant warmth and the smell of apples and cinnamon hit my skin and nose with such force that I suddenly feel a sense of peace and calm. Never mind the dirty white door that has never been painted or the metallic smell on my fingers after handling my keys and the new doorknob. This time of year, entering my home also means I’m often met with autumn colors that match the changing leaves outside. From that point on, I dream of the moment I light a candle for the evening, marking the end of the day. Coming home is not the same as calling it quits for the day, though sometimes the first thing I want to do is go outside and sit down with a cup of hot coffee, and just be. There is nothing like having a nest of your own. I nod in agreement, and look around me, a witness to symbolism everywhere I look. That muddy yet never-painted door marks the spot where I enter a new life. Evident of where I have been, yet opens to a place where I feel safe from the harsh and cruel world. The metallic smell on our fingers is a stark reminder that moving on is not easy. We all need the right tools to get us to where we want to go. The instant warmth awaiting me indoors equates to that priceless feeling of being welcomed and cradled, in a nest all your own. Where you can be yourself. And then there’s fall, my favorite season. The time of the year when the house is nearly empty during the day, the sun dips lower in the sky, and cooler temps lure me outside to witness the changes from the safety of my back porch.

Who would not want to be in a place like this? At a time like this? We all deserve to have somewhere to go to feel safe, welcome, and cherished. In my past, I have made other people I love feel unwelcome in their home, and I would never want to be in that place again. Having made new discoveries about myself lately, I have come to learn there is nothing like being vulnerable and feeling like you belong, especially at home. The place where safety and security are your friends, not enemies to your well-being.

In today’s story, called “Coming Home,” the protagonist learns how to navigate her own life as she puts her own life in reverse, and travels a new, unpaved path. Coming home is not always easy, and is often fraught with danger and fear, though it is a respite from the outside world.