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I have moved 18 times throughout the United States, England, and France, and am even now preparing to move to a new apartment. With these changes, I have learned that real home is not defined by a type of building, a place, certain people, a culture, a language, or by stuff we own. All that can change. Spiritually considered, home is an awareness of the ever-presence of divine Love. It is not a place so much as the consciousness of God’s love. As the reflection—the image—of Love, we each have an innate capacity to express love and to feel loved. Home, as an awareness of Love, is actually built into one’s spiritual identity. And the more in-touch we are with God’s love, the more we can feel rooted and at home in any place or situation.

Home is not a building or locale, but an awareness of Love

Perhaps one of the most beautiful descriptions of home is in the 91st Psalm, which says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. . . . He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust” (verses 1, 4). This idea of the safety and shelter to be found in an awareness of God’s love was brought home to me when, after a rapid winter thaw, our house experienced a minor flood. In our backyard we had a hen house for three pet chickens. For several weeks, one hen had been sitting on two eggs and they were about ready to hatch. Concerned, I waded out to see how they were doing. I found the roost covered with water. But the chickens had perched way up high on sticks. And poking out from under the mother hen’s wings were two pairs of chick feet. Each one had hatched, safe and sound, high and dry. 

Later, as the water level began to recede and the cleanup began in our home, I remembered this scene of protection and love that I witnessed. In the midst of the storm, divine Love was being expressed in this mother hen’s care for her chicks. To me, that expression of love, and not the flood, was the most important thing that happened on our property. I learned that no matter how inconvenient or distracting a housing problem may be, we can always find a refuge in God’s love. To acknowledge the presence of Love leads to a happy sense of home. In the case of our house, helpers arrived and order was restored quite quickly. The cleanup was not arduous due in large part to the appreciation and love that was front and center in my thought.

God’s creation dwells in Love. Mary Baker Eddy wrote of the “haven of Soul” revealed through Christ—God’s message of pure love for His creation. She wrote: “Of this we may be sure: that thoughts winged with peace and love breathe a silent benediction over all the earth, cooperate with the divine power, and brood unconsciously o’er the work of His hand. . . . 

“Thus founded upon the rock of Christ, when storm and tempest beat against this sure foundation, you, safely sheltered in the strong tower of hope, faith, and Love, are God’s nestlings; and He will hide you in His feathers till the storm has passed. Into His haven of Soul there enters no element of earth to cast out angels, to silence the right intuition which guides you safely home” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 152).

Home is not a material comfort zone, but a platform for progress

Home is the consciousness of Love leading to a larger sense of life. Love impels growth and growth sometimes strips us of the material comforts that would hold us back from progress. When baby birds are learning to fly, it isn’t unusual for the parent bird to stay a distance from the nest during feeding to encourage their young to try their wings. This may mean a few falls in the process! But soon they will be flying.

When I made my move from the US to France, my daughter was in her first year of college. Although she lived away at school, it was a jolt for her to have her mom as far away as Paris. We both needed to adapt to a sense of home that wasn’t defined by place and people. For me, home involved embracing a new culture, language, and friends. My daughter, too, needed to be open to new experiences and to trust the ever-present mother-love of God to offer tangible support, security, guidance, and love.  

“A Psalm of David” describes God as a house of refuge that doesn’t confine us, but makes room for progressive steps. He wrote: “I shall love you, Lord Jehovah, my power and my trust, the house of my refuge, my Mighty Deliverer, God, The Mighty One, upon whom I trust, my helper and the horn of my salvation, the house of my glorious refuge. You have given me a shield of salvation; your right hand will comfort me and your discipline will make me great. You have made room for my steps under me” (Psalms 18:1, 2, 35, 36, Aramaic Bible in Plain English).

Her first year on her own, my daughter found new friends, a lovely apartment, and a sense of purpose. We stayed in close touch, but not so close that she could substitute my guidance for her own deep thinking on her future. The Psalmist’s words helped me be a quiet support, while letting her have her own experiences and learn her own lessons. I could see that divine Love was providing the right physical circumstances adapted to her needs.

What was easy to see in my daughter’s case, I found was more challenging in mine. I wondered at times if I hadn’t perhaps made the move to France too quickly. I was having a terrible time learning French. Even after multiple courses, I couldn’t seem to let go of English as my comfort language. I felt far away from home. Then one day a friend complimented me on my progress in French and I responded with a self-deprecating remark. He frowned and said, “But I have been so appreciating watching how Love brought you to France and how Love has been teaching you, step by step, everything you need to know and, word by word, everything you need to say.” This gave me great pause. In that instant I realized the gift of divine Love, which hadn’t taken me from my home, but rather was enlarging my home to include new experiences and views of love. From that point on, I saw language-learning, like the move, as a gift. Love would never leave me without what I needed. Love was moving me forward to make new discoveries about my real home.

A home’s value is not measured by material stuff, but by spiritual growth

Housing may assume many forms, but home doesn’t change. God’s love is always present and discernible, whatever our living conditions. Whether we live in a hut, a room, an apartment, a house, or a castle, the physical expression of home, called housing, is a workshop for understanding what home really is. This workshop and the tools within it are, at best, useful, temporary, and adaptable to our needs. We may change houses and add to or throw out personal belongings at any time. In fact, it is natural that as we become more and more aware of divine Love in our life, any limited sense of home would yield to a fuller expression. But this doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll have a bigger house or more stuff. Sometimes, it’s just the opposite!  

Moving from a 2000 square foot (186 m2) home in New Jersey, US, to a 700 square foot (65 m2) apartment in France wasn’t so tricky. I left pretty much everything behind. And in doing so, I discovered that all those lovely appliances I thought I couldn’t live without (like my Kitchenaid mixer and Cuisinart—which all had the wrong plugs anyway!) could be replaced by a big spoon and a sharp knife. Then, almost seven years later, I needed to deal with all that stuff I apparently didn’t need that was still sitting in my former house. Although logic said I didn’t need these things, I had to deal with an emotional argument that said I wanted them. But did I really want to hang on to stuff that no longer fit in my life?

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy explains, “Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul” (p. 60).

Remembering the haven of Soul that I understood to be my true home, I decided to examine everything in the house against these questions: Does this item fit with my life today? Does it add value? Will keeping it promote my spiritual growth and progress, or am I afraid that if I let it go I won’t have what I need? Am I afraid of growing and adapting to new circumstances?

The Bible also sets a good standard of measure for both deciding what to retain—whether dealing with thoughts or things. Paul speaks of using “our powerful God-tools” to fit “every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4, 5, The Message). The Christ, God’s ever-present activity of good, impels growth throughout creation. Hanging on to the Christ and letting it shape the details of one’s life, thoughts, and home, opens us to progressive views of God’s goodness in forms appropriate to our need. The Psalmist said to God, “Seven times each day I stop and shout praises for the way you keep everything running right. For those who love what you reveal, everything fits” (Psalms 119:164, 165, The Message).

In the end, everything I kept from that large house fit in one carry-on suitcase . . . .

Yes, Love’s language is spoken in our home. Home is the undeviating reflection of divine Love that enfolds all creation. If we have any need, it is to open ourselves to accept more of the language of Love—the Christ-message and Christ-power of God’s love for His creation—to feel ourselves right at home wherever we are.