Returning to Kansas was the highlight of Dorothy’s trip to Oz and E.T.’s earthly adventure culminated in desperation to go back to Brodo Asagi. George Bailey’s wonderful life was realized when he found the importance of family and friends in Bedford Falls. Home, after all, is where the heart is!

The author Sarah Ban Breathnach tells of building “the house of belonging” and the building process is not what you might expect. It isn’t about sticks and bricks but rather the creation of a home that reflects the soul’s commitment to living a passionate life.

Even if your dream home is still somewhere in the future, your present dwelling serves as a shelter for all of your dreams…the home protects the dreamer. You are the architect of your home and your choices are the framework; your courage the foundation. Patience, perseverance and acceptance are the bricks and faith is the mortar. Your home, regardless of its location or grandeur, is your personal sanctuary where safety, joy and contentment should and can abound.

We are inundated with advice on how to simplify, organize, down-size and create an ecologically responsible home. Books and television shows instruct us on how to paint or landscape to spruce up our living area over a weekend and big-box DIY stores are well equipped to supply all the materials. Much less attention is paid to the personal and relational environment in our homes.

The real warmth and beauty of a home begins with the individuals who reside there and the peace that prevails beyond the front door. The character of our relationships reveals much more about our home than the style and décor. Think about the homes where you have felt most comfortable and secure.

When I was a young girl my parents brought my brother and me to the United States from Canada. We began our new lives as Americans in a small, one bedroom apartment. Each payday we would go to the local Goodwill store for an item to furnish the apartment. For several years every pot, dish and piece of clothing we owned would be purchased at a garage sale or thrift store, but the joy in that little apartment was because of the love and security provided by my parents. I have wonderful memories of family and friends crammed into that tiny place for a holiday or some celebration, yet I have little recall of the furnishings or our possessions. The sacred is not found in what we own.

Love for life and appreciation of family and friends enhances our creativity and our environment reflects it. Creating a place where energy and balance can be restored with relaxation is an art form. Our homes are the studios in which we practice our art.

It is said that a man’s home is his castle and our castles speak volumes about the kings and queens within them. The most modest accommodations are sanctuaries in the eyes and hearts of those returning home to their house of belonging.