Posted by This short piece was originally written for a call-out by an American magazine, whom I have written for earlier. The topic given to each of us writers was ‘Home’ and we were restricted to 300 words. I wrote from my heart and even garnered appreciation from the editor. However, the piece they picked to publish was by another writer. I still wanted to share mine with the world, so here it is. I would love if you also took up the prompt and attempted to write your version on the same subject in 300 words – I would love to read your entries!
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HOME
By Noor Anand Chawla
Following Indian custom, I lived with my parents till I was 24. My first experience of living alone, and away from home, was when I moved to London to pursue a master’s degree at this age.
Learning to live independently in a new country at an age when most people have already found firm footing in life was tough. I faced many mishaps, including a miscalculated cooking experiment leading to the fire alarm going off, being robbed of my phone and wallet in the tube, and lobbed with a massive phone bill when the thief used the phone to make overseas calls! Each of these incidents led to hysterical phone calls to my parents, often in the middle of the night. Yet I wasn’t aware of my acute homesickness.
That happened when I returned to Delhi. The feeling of being “home” wasn’t characterised by entering the brick-and-mortar building I had lived in most of my life. Instead, I felt it in my father’s reassuring presence at the airport at 5 a.m. after a long and arduous flight through Moscow; in the fresh, steaming serving of my mother’s delicious Rajma-Chawal early in the morning; and in the 19-hour-long dreamless and carefree nap I sank into after demolishing the aforesaid meal and hugging my parents repeatedly.
I had not been to war, nor had I battled an illness or faced any major struggle, yet that bright and early morning in Delhi, I felt like I had summited a tough peak and could finally celebrate. Safely ensconced in my parents’ love, I realised that home is a feeling of being cared for. It’s a privilege and blessing that isn’t bestowed on everyone. Now, as I navigate life as a wife and mother, I often fall back on the memory of that feeling, of that blessing.
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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Bohemian Bibliophile.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
Living alone or away from parents is truly a learning. I have not lived alone my entire life, I was with my parents until I got married. But now, I am a mother of two girls and after I read your post, I was taken to a future where my girls would go away in search of the right future and I would have a different feeling about it while my girls might think what you thought.
Home is where we get care and love.
Love reading your post.
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A lot of my friend’s children have moved abroad for higher education or jobs, and I completely get it when you tell about the mishaps, the harrowed midnight overseas calls that mark the transition to a life away from home. Home is where the heart is!
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This is such a sweet essay on home, Noor, totally relatable. Home is not a place, it’s the people who make us feel safe and loved.
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You have penned the feeling of all who had left their home for almost more than 2 decades for education or first job. It always has a special memory attached. I remembered my failed cooking attempt when I turned Bhindi into a slime by covering the pan, or adding ketchup to Pav Bhaji and regrating it with every bite!!!! But now, after 12 years of living away, I can say happily that I have two homes.
Awww that’s a lovely feeling 🙂
For me, Home is not a place or that brick and mortar building, but more of my favorite people. If I am with my family, even in the midst of desert, I would call it my home. Have been doing that for so many years now. Last year, when I had to stay away from my husband, was the 1st time, I felt homeless.
Awww hope you are together again now!
Home is where we realized the emotion called love for the first time in our life… Yes its the love of the parents which made us feel that we are safe and protected. My story of leaving my home happened a bit earlier than you at the age of 18 when I stepped out for my Graduation and moved to a new city and yes in India only. Staying away from parents and that to with some unknown girls of different ages in a private hostel. Initially I used to cry keeping my face covered by the Pillow …. but slowly and steadily I got habituated with the culture of hostel, made new friends but the food served over there was just “Wak” . Ma used to say ” You are my strong girl, accept the food you get and many even dont get that, so respect it. When you come to home on vacation I will make your favorite food.” Those words were enough to make me realize what a home is. The days of my vacation at home used to be the best as Ma is always the best chef for me and I feel blessed even today when I get to taste her cooked food when I visit her. The hidden tears and the expression of love in the eyes of my Old father, now a patient of severe Alzheimer makes my heart cry…. But I cant show it. All I can say to them ” I love you both as You taught me what home is all about. With parents like you who never stop showering love on me in their own way made me believe ” That’s this is my home sweet Home even today.”
Yes home is always where love is
Where are you from? It’s a simple question but I always feel challenged to answer this. I lived in many places over the 17 years and found my home in those places. I know at what part I feel connected with your soul, I live my ups and downs with each place. That’s why I think the meaning of home is just more than geography, place, and people.
For me, home is a memory, a feeling where I feel a sense of comfort, a fragrance of love and care.
I wrote a piece about home in my blog also. Loved reading your version❤️❤️❤️
That’s wonderful 🙂
As someone who has lived away from my parents my entire adult life, I can completely relate to your experience. That feeling of home, even today, after being married and having my own home, is always best felt when I’m with my parents though. Great piece, Noor. Your horrid experiences reminded of the many instances when as a young adult out into the world on my own, I felt like the embrace of a parent was all I needed to forget it all.
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I think anyone can cook food your mom would. But it’s that homely feeling that makes all the difference in the world. Very nice read.
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I realised the importance of home at the age of 18, when I began living in a hostel. It brought a lot of freedom, but I missed the pampering and the safety net. In India, we are not used to the idea of being alone, someone from the family is always there and that’s what consitutes home for us.
Yes true
Beautiful penned and yes Noor I totally agree home is home, nothing in this world can give that kind of comfort. Security and love that it can. And home is home when you have people in it who really matters to you. I felt it and now my elder daughter is feeling the same when she is far from us while pursuing her higher studies.
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Oh, Noor, your story resonates deeply with me. Even though I’ve been living in Oman for 14 years now, whenever I return to visit my parents in India, that feeling of ‘home’ envelops me just like you described. And oh, the mention of Rajma Chawal hitting home really struck a chord with me. There’s something about that comforting meal that really captures the feeling of being back with loved ones. Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt reflection.
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Such a lovely post. I have stayed in a hostel for seven years. There is nothing like coming back home but sometimes the hostel felt home too. It is the idea of home, wherever it is.
Yes true 🙂
It’s so true that while distance can bring new opportunities and experiences, it also comes with a constant ache for the familiarity and comfort of home. The longing for those familiar sights, sounds, and even smells can sometimes feel overwhelming. Indeed, missing home is a universal feeling that connects us all, no matter where we are in the world.
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I left home after school – total learning experience. And now my son went to Boarding last year. I really cherished the strong hug he gave when he met me after months!
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This was a heartwarming read and I’m sure most of us must have had this experience at one point in life. Days are not far for me to experience the same , but as you say home is where the heart is
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home with loved ones around is a blessing. Always a fan of your writing style.
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Home is a place where all family members around us. I never get chance to stay outside of home but I know how can it feel when my little brother are outside for 2 years. I feel what he can feel and obstacles he had.
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That’s why they say Home is where the Hearth is or heart is. I just sold my house and it was a heartbreaking decision although I now realize that it is only a house and not a home as there was only me there in a 5 bedroom villa meant for a family.
Oh Harjeet, that’s sad. But I’m sure you will make a lovely home wherever you go from here…
I can completely relate to this feeling of home and belonging, coming, in my case too, with a plate of rajma chawal & aloo sabji. In my mid-20s I had a traveling job, and would be home for 2 days every month, I remember my 1st meal back would always be these 3 dishes made by my mom followed by lots of chats over cups of tea to catch up on the month gone by. This meal is till date my welcome-back-home meal that my mom makes 🙂 and I love the rootedness of these experiences.
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I think leaving home teaches us a lot. I am still living with my parents but over the time, I’ve started trying to understand what home means for me. I think the link that made me think was Home is where you are feeling cared for.
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Such a heartfelt post. I guess we realise the value of our home and loved ones, once we are far from them and do not have their comfort and proximity.
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Amazing article Noor, It does feel like you have written your heart out and shall attempt the same soon for sure. for now, me feeling home is my first cup of tea made by my Mom- ‘just perfect’.
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Beautifully written Noor! Home is where we feel the most loved , most secure and and at peace. My home is my everything. I left my parents home at 22 when I got married and set up our own household. I strive every single day to make it a safe and beautiful haven for my family.
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Home is where you feel love and care. I understand these words now when I stay away from my home and trying to live my life alone in a tier two city. Being a travel craetor I travel often in so many places, but home is when I come back from those trips and wear a pajama and do nothing in my messy unpacked room but only sleep. I guess, home is our comfort zone, our caring and loving area whcih can be anything from mom’s cooking to dad’s scolding, I consider all those … home.
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Living alone for the first time and then coming back home is an amazing feeling. It makes us realize he value of those things we often take for granted–parents’ love, food, shelter, unconditional love. I liked your take on the prompt though it is difficult to write on such a topic in just 300 words. I will try writing about this too.
Thank you! It was tough but I always love a creative challenge!
Lovely post Noor… short, sweet and meaningful.
My maternal home is my first love and to this day the feeling is undying(I have written a poem on it😊). Although I left home at 20 and didn’t go as far as you, the feeling of coming back was just the same and I used to be excited a month before the actual date. The excitement stopped once I got married though as I had to go to my hubby’s house on holidays… hahaha!
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