Saras View of Life with Sara Troy, on air from March 25th

What Does Home Mean to You?

Home is more than just four walls and a roof—it is a feeling, a sanctuary, a place where we hope to find security, warmth, safety, and love. But home is not just about a physical space; it is about the energy within it, the sense of belonging, and the peace it brings.

For me, home is my refuge, my sacred space where I can be fully myself without fear, expectation, or the weight of others’ demands. It is a place of deep exhalation where I can simply be, where I don’t have to shape myself to fit someone else’s mold. At last, I have a place of peace, where I move at my own rhythm, free to express, free to exist, without the need to apologize for who I am or what I choose to do.

It wasn’t always this way. In the 1970s, I lived alone for a time, but most of my life, I shared my home with others. And while companionship can bring joy, I often found myself adjusting, accommodating, worrying—wondering if I was doing enough, if I was upsetting someone, if my presence was a burden rather than a comfort. But in all that people-pleasing, I rarely found true peace of mind.

Now, I understand that home is not just about the people within it—it is about how we feel within ourselves in that space. A true home should nurture, not confine. It should embrace us, not demand from us. It should be a reflection of our inner sanctuary, where we can breathe freely, knowing that we are enough just as we are.

So many of us share our homes with others—parents, siblings, extended family, lovers, friends—but within those walls, are we truly allowed to be ourselves? Do we feel safe, not just physically, but emotionally? Does the space we call home offer us the freedom to express, to breathe, to exist without judgment?

For some, home is a place of warmth and unconditional acceptance, a foundation of love where they are seen and valued for who they truly are. But for others, home can feel like a cage, a space filled with unspoken expectations, demands, and the weight of needing to conform. We adjust, we compromise, we tread carefully, hoping not to disrupt the balance. In doing so, we sometimes lose ourselves, prioritizing the comfort of others over our own sense of peace.

But isn’t home meant to be our sanctuary? A place where we can exist as we are, without fear of rejection or reprimand? Too often, we measure our worth within a shared space by how well we fit in rather than by how free we feel within it.

True home, whether shared or solitary, should be a place of belonging—a space where we can lay down our masks, exhale deeply, and know that we are safe, accepted, and whole.

So many homes are being torn apart—by war, displacement, fires, floods, and the pain of separation. The physical structures we once relied on for shelter and familiarity can be taken from us in an instant. When home is no longer a place we can return to, where do we go? How do we find that sense of safety, of belonging, when everything around us has been uprooted?

The answer lies in something deeper than bricks and mortar. Home must become something we carry within us.

A true home is not just a physical space; it is a feeling, a presence, an inner sanctuary that remains, even when the external world shifts beyond our control. It is in the way we hold ourselves, in the small rituals that ground us, in the memories and love we carry forward. It is in the moments of stillness, where we remind ourselves that no matter where we are, we are not lost—we are simply in transition.

Finding home within ourselves starts with reclaiming our inner peace.

• Breath: A deep inhale, a slow exhale. A reminder that, despite the chaos, you are still here.
• Gratitude: Not for what has been lost but for what remains—the kindness of a stranger, the embrace of a loved one, the resilience within you.
• NOT LACKAtude: When we step into lack, everything feels less around us. Let go of what you think you need and embrace what you have.
• Connection: Home is often found in people rather than places. It is in the relationships we nurture, the warmth of shared laughter, and the support that reminds us we are not alone.
• Purpose: Even in loss, we can find meaning. How can we rebuild not just our external home but our sense of belonging? How can we create safety within ourselves so that no matter where life takes us, we remain anchored in who we are?

To find home within is to trust that even when the walls crumble, the foundation of your spirit remains unshaken. It is knowing that while life may scatter us, home is never truly lost—it transforms, it adapts, and it waits for us in the places we least expect.

So ask yourself: If home is not a place, but a feeling, where do you find yours?

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