Home:

: the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives

: a family living together in one building, house, etc.

: a place where something normally or naturally lives or is located

That's what home is, at least to Merriam-Webster.

My home is my mother's house. For the past 5 years, I've come to love this house. It's cramped, busy, and I can hear everything that goes on, from conversations in another room, to even the usage of the bathroom. Despite this, I love it. It's my home because here is the place of memories, and of the feelings associated. It's a place I can trust, and feel secure.

In the living room, I've spent Christmas with the family I cared about, finally all in one place. I've spent hours on the couch laughing my worries away as I binge-watch shows at the couch. Every time I feel upset, I can go into the basement and play the night away on the piano. This house is a safe place for me, no matter what is happening in the outside world.

There are people like me, who have a house they can call home. There are people who have a place, where at the end of the day, they can go and escape everything and be at peace. But not all houses are homes. For some, they find their homes elsewhere.

People say that home is where the heart is. Some people's homes are the ones they love, because with them, that's where they feel the comfort, the love, the security that home is. For others, "home" is their city. The places they go, and all the memories they cherish there. For other people, the phrase "Home is where the heart is." is quite literal. For them, they are their home, the place they belong.

A woman by the name of Cecelia Ahern once said this: "Home is not a place, it's a feeling." Home can be your house. Home can be your best friend, or your sister. Home can be the place you grew up, Home can even be you. Home is the feeling of belonging and love.