Home. This short word can mean so many different things. It is a building that provides shelter. Metaphorically, it can provide a sense of peace through shelter in the forms of refuge, safety and security. For some, home is the place where they can safely hide away when the world becomes overwhelming -- the horse to the barn trope. When home is threatened, a loss of the sense of stability it offers can occur. It can be earth-shattering, shaking us to the very core. Dispossession can bring with it grief, along with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Coping with such emotions takes a lot of support and strength -- just when those skill sets are under siege.
Many people experience such losses through home invasion, eviction or natural disasters. I've had to move when a rental was to be taken over by family members of the landlord. A 5-1/2 foot flood of water in the basement took many possessions with it, and left family members feeling less safe or secure in a place they'd lived for decades. Losing everything in a disaster must be so devastating, yet it happens around the world daily. Other smaller losses occur around us regularly, but are not as massive as a natural or man-made disaster.
All this pondering of home, brought a number of songs to mind. I settled on one with lyrics that state much of what I've been thinking of today. The singer is one I've enjoyed since his early days. Enjoy!
Shelter Me -- Joe Cocker
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