A Sanctuary of Home

A sanctuary of home. The phrase soothes me.

I was reading a psychological thriller. The protagonist had been out doing seedy things and came home in the wee hours. This was the first phrase of the next chapter.

I took a breath when those words passed through my mind and caught the attention of my heart and soul.

I love the word sanctuary. I feel like I am in a safe place, a place of refuge. And what’s not to like about home.

Part of Paul’s garden — photo ys

Home

Our physical home is small and comfortable. All we need for us and the animals. It’s a ranch. We have lived here over 20 years.

I love our home. It’s our sanctuary — and it’s more. It’s also my private sanctuary — my bedroom. It is our hope we can live in place here until it’s our time.

Life happens. Sometimes I just can’t wait to get home so I can brush away the stress which has been building while I’ve been out and about. The anticipation as I pull in the driveway. Almost home. I love being home.

I try to stay away from the hustle and bustle of what society seems to be today — go, go, go. It’s next to impossible to do.

I feel protected in my sanctuary. I know a lot of people who go, go, go. Nothing wrong with it. Just not my bag.

But wait …

Stop calling your home your sanctuary.

http://www.medium.com, Emily Grosvenor. November 2019

Say Again

When I read that title to an essay a writer posted on medium.com, I was gobsmacked. Sacrilege to be sure. How could someone feel differently than I about the home being a sanctuary?

I’m glad I happened upon this essay because it made me look at things from a completely different perspective. I agree little with her opinions, but I can twist my mind a bit and see where she may be coming from.

I think it’s generational. She’s young. I imagine she has been exposed to more in her young life than I ever was at her age.

At one point she was a magazine editor. Now she’s a feng shui consultant. It took her five years to receive her feng shui certification. She’s all about shapes, colors, textures, locations. All these make up a good part of her world.

She brings up Covid. People having to work at home. Working at home and calling your home your sanctuary do not mix. I had not considered that.

She says, ”I think we are telling ourselves a big lie. I think we are delusional if we think we can have an active, engaged life — a life of purpose — while also retreating from the public space.”

I like my home retreat/sanctuary best, but I could go for a yoga retreat in the mountains. The public space today seems to be the internet and social media. I don’t know the definition. I wish I could ask her what she means by that. Maybe public space is anyplace but home.

Source unknown

Hmmm.

A life of purpose? I am happy Emily discovered hers. The experts say a life of purpose gives us longevity. For me in this moment of life, I don’t feel I have a purpose. Fine with me. Right now I’m selfish and just enjoying being. Maybe one day I will figure out my purpose.

I wonder where Emily goes to get away from it all. The stresses of modern life are many, but she doesn’t believe her home life to be a sanctuary. She says “Home is the great collaborator in my life.” What the heck does that mean?

I can’t relate. I read a book about feng shui once. It was interesting. All I learned was our house could never be a proper feng shui abode.

The mere fact that when we open the front door and energy enters, there’s an unobstructed beeline to the back door where that energy immediately exits. Poof!

There is no way to catch and keep that energy in the house. We’re doomed I guess.

She says she can redesign houses to make kids behave better. I just can’t comprehend that. If that were the case, I believe all parents with children would live in a feng shui environment.

Maybe she hasn’t come to the point in her life where she recognizes that home is a wonderful sanctuary. As I like to say, people vary. It really isn’t my business.

Fiddle Faddle

Why Home is My Sanctuary

Home is where I feel the quietude of peace and calm. Life slows. My heart slows. I wouldn’t be surprised if my blood pressure was lower. Our loving pets are here.

I realize now that sometimes it’s nearly impossible for some to have sanctuary at home. I’m thinking of children coming home from school or play who may be subjected to child abuse. Who would look forward to coming home to that possibility?

Or maybe adults come home and they’re victims of domestic violence. That would not be a sanctuary.

I’ve learned that people have sanctuaries in different places. A park or garden. A place of worship. An ice cream truck. A basement. Nature. The zoo. Being with grandchildren.

I’d just never thought of places of sanctuary being someplace other than home.

So, what to say?

I hope you have a sanctuary — if you want one. A place to chill and contemplate, maybe even a special place to meditate — I’m not a meditator just so you know.

So, my sanctuary is where I live. As has been said, there’s no place like home, at least not for me.

Thank you so much for reading.

Namaste 🙏

💙💛

8 comments

  1. Interesting read as always, Yvonne. My porch is my sanctuary. That is where I go out and really relax, where the breeze and the birds are. You know me, I just love the hustle and bustle or used to. Except now, things are a little different… I don’t care for all the congestion in our State but it was expected. I would prefer less. I definitely have wanderlust. Much love!
    Janine

    1. Hi Janine, definitely hard to beat a porch for sanctuary. I know you love your birds and coffee in the morning on the porch.

      It is awful all that congestion throughout your state. It is so much different than when I lived there. In 1972, we would go to Disney World, no big deal. It was fun and enjoyable. Now it’s kind of like eat or be eaten. Ha! Hustle bustle just seems more and more.

      Thank you for reading, Janine. Appreciate the comment as well.

      Take it easy, Good Buddy
      Yvonne

  2. Since I was a young girl, the bedroom has always been my sanctuary. During some turbulent times of dealing with alcoholism in the family, I would go to my bedroom, close the door and just shut away the noise and confrontation. This was my space to be me, relax, think, listen to music, whatever it took to shutout the world. Since adulthood, I have continued with the bedroom sanctuary. As you know, I live in our place of business, which doesn’t allow much privacy. I watch the clock on slow days, waiting for the 4 pm hour to go to my bedroom to just get away from it all after a long day of dealing with the public. I love people, but I need the break some days to keep my sanity and refresh my soul. I’m a homebody, always have been. Home for me is where the heart is, and my bedroom is my private space to do whatever makes me feel good. It’s just me and the peace I feel. I’m still that little girl who retreats to her bedroom for comfort and solice! ♥️

    1. Hi Judy, not that we had idyllic childhoods but for me I don’t remember having a sanctuary. My sanctuary then was being at the house down the street. Not many places to go as a child to get away from my mother. Always on guard for an explosion to erupt. That applies to both of us.

      So glad you still have the sanctuary of your bedroom. I’m in mine right this minute. Happy, calm, and at ease. What would we do without our bedroom sanctuaries? Just one more thing we have in common!

      Thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment. I like it that you share yourself. Special prayers to you and hubby.

      With lots of love, your friend,
      Yvonne

    1. Hard to find a better sanctuary than home for sure, at least the way I think.

      Thank you, Maggie, for reading and commenting.

      With warm regards and kind wishes,
      Yvonne

  3. Growing up my bedroom was my sanctuary. Also, staying with my Granny on the weekends.

    Now, my home is my sanctuary. Having my dog Brutty just adds to my happiness.

    Loved this post.👋

    1. Hi Lona, bedrooms and homes seem to be the top winners for sanctuaries. I’m hanging in my bed right now reading a book. Ellie is beside me and Sage just left.

      Paul has gone to a friend’s house up the street to watch golf. I love when I have the house all to myself. So peaceful, tranquil, and calm.

      Great that you had your Granny. Love it that Brutty gives you so much love and happiness. Life would be less if we didn’t have our fur families.

      Thank you for reading, Lona, and leaving a comment.

      Much love,
      Yvonne

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