One hears lots of talk about home and how central it is to happiness. The expression “Home is where the heart is” often refers not to a building or a house but rather to a locality and culture where we feel comfortable and at home. But what happens when you find yourself without these comforts? Feelings of isolation, loneliness, or depression may suggest that opportunities for happiness are gone.

I once had to leave my home for a needed job. The constant pressures to conform to a new way of life and the disappointments and setbacks associated with the legal and social requirements of a new country and language threatened my sense of ease and well-being. Through earnest prayer, however, I glimpsed the spiritual nature of home and the fact that we all live in the atmosphere of God’s love, where each individual is at home. 

As a result of this inspiration, my thought was transformed by the universal bond of warmth and brotherly love that has its source in God, divine Love. I felt a new and deeper sense of belonging and security and viewed those around me differently. I learned that wherever we are, this atmosphere of Love is the only reliable place, and it always feels like home. Jesus called it the kingdom of God, and it is available to us anywhere and under any circumstances.