"Home is where the heart is" - that's what many people would say...
But what do you do if you left parts of your heart with multiple people across the globe?
I grew up in a small village on a farm in Upper Austria with my two sisters, my parents and my grandparents in the house right next to us.
Every single one of them and the place where I grew up definitely have a big piece of my heart and they always will have.
I love to reminisce about all these memories I've made at this farm with my family and friends, the laughs and cries we shared and the things we've learnt.
Nevertheless, things change...
People move away, buildings get renovated and changed, gardens rearranged and sooner than you think this place doesn't feel like your childhood home anymore.
And that's okay... That's part of growing up, I guess.
After staying a summer with a lovely family in Tennessee I definitely left a piece of me with them and can call their house my home.
I was with them only for a short time but they became like family - like a home - to me.
I'm so glad I got to meet them and I can't wait to see them again some day, but simultaneously every single time I think of them I can feel that piece of my heart they have missing.
Now I live in England with an incredible lady that became another mum, sister and good friend to me. The friends and "family" I've made here mean a lot to me as well and I'd never want to miss any of them.
This is where it gets tricky...
Having left pieces of your heart spread across the globe can be nice because you feel at home in several places.
On the other hand it can be a bit exhausting and sometimes people don't understand you.
I wish I was Doctor Who and had two hearts so I can leave more pieces everywhere. (having the TARDIS to travel time and space and a sonic screwdriver doesn't sound too shabby either)
"Home is where the wifi connects automatically" - doesn't really work for me either
My phone automatically connects to the wifi in a lot of places.
Most of my friends' wifi, the wifi in my favourite coffee shop (some people might actually say it's my second home) and sometimes my phone even connects to a wifi in some towns automatically.
Now these places are certainly not all my homes.
Nonetheless, I could live without coffee for a while, so it's not entirely true.
"Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends are always welcome and laughter never ends"
"Home is a place where one lives especially together as a family, a place of affection, joy and happiness, a valued refuge and resting place, a habitation offering security and protection, where friendships flourish"
I guess these two describe what home is to me the best.
I guess home can therefore be anywhere with any person that's important to me... and home can change!
Now that I live in England and most of my social ties are here I call it "home" and that definitely doesn't mean that I don't love the people I left behind in Austria.
Despite all these nice quotes about "home" I've realised that none of the above really captures it for me.
My home after all is with my father in heaven and I believe all the loving family members and friends he puts beside us that make a place feel like home here on earth are a little sneak preview of heaven and life with Him in eternity.
