Home is a Place Within you

I have traveled the world many times over

But I couldn’t tell you what home was to me

I have trekked through the rainforests of the Amazon

Sweating in places I didn’t know existed

Marched through the mountains of Afghanistan with a rifle

Through the snow, the smoke, and the violence

Stood on the precipice of the Cliffs of Moher

While the wind pushed me back and the rain belted my face

Slipped on a bridge in Hamburg Germany during the winter

Exploring the beautiful city while it snowed

I met some of the most amazing human beings on Earth

Loved and lost many more through time

But what I remember most was a simple home in Indiana

In Santa Claus village where it's always Christmas

The summers I spent catching fireflies

Scratching lotto tickets with my grandma

Reading books with my grandpa

That felt like home for a time being

Love was unconditional the way only a grandparent could dote on you

When they passed the world stopped feeling like a home to me

Through meditation I looked inward for my home

I found a garden with a gazebo waiting for me

Fresh tea on the table ready to share

The marigolds smelled beautiful, blooming all around me

The water lilies brought peace

Watching them flow effortlessly in the pond

My home became a place of my own choosing

A world without loss

A world without grief

When I walk into that gazebo and pour my tea

I pour for two

In the corner of my eye, I see them

They join me and smile

My grandparents were always a part of my home

Now their home is part of mine

My spiritual realm that exists within me

My home is one of unconditional love and it always will be.