“The ache for home lives in all of us” ~ Maya Angelou

Even as young children, growing up viewing the movie the Wizard of Oz, we ingest into our beings the belief that “there’s no place like home.” Yet, we all may have a different idea or sentiment that comes to mind when we hear the word “home.”  Actually, Cecelia Ahern shares that “home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.” 

For my husband, Mike, and me, this year of 2023 has been a year of discernment on where we wanted to create our chosen home.  I love J.R. Miller’s words:

“A true home is one of the most sacred of places.  It is a sanctuary … a resting place.  Few things we can do in this world are so well worth doing as the making of a beautiful home.  Far more than we know, do the strength and beauty of our lives depend upon the home in which we dwell.”

Having made a magnificent and bountiful pilgrimage to France this time last year, I became so aware of sacred sites that fed my soul … places of transcendent encounter … portals to the Divine.  In Celtic spirituality, they are described as “thin places” – hallowed spaces infused with the presence of the Divine where the veil between Heaven and earth seems to be almost transparent – places where a person can experience God’s presence more readily and potently.

Mike and I have always felt closer to Christ when we are near the mountains whether at the Pech de Bugarach or in the foothills of the Smokies.  There is something about the grandeur of the mountains that calls us back to our truest selves.  

Have you ever inhabited a space where God’s presence has seemed more tangible?  That was our quest.  We love the mountainous city of Chattanooga, in Tennessee, also known as the “Scenic City,” nestled into the Appalachian Mountains.  We decided to explore the area and look at different homes to sense the energy and see if it resonated with us.  We felt once more like pilgrims, opening our souls to our inner knowing.  As Melody Beattie insightfully captures: “Going home means getting comfortable being who you are and who your soul really wants to be.”   We knew we wanted a place of solitude, where we could hear birds singing, watch flowers blooming and the richness of a landscape that included both the mountains and a lake.  We found it in the lovely town of Harrison, and as soon as I entered the home where we now reside – I knew we had found this kindred spot.   I love what Joshua Smith, a spirit-inspired interior designer shares: “When your home is your sanctuary, there is a big exhale when you walk though that front door.  It nourishes your spirit, inspires your mind, and enhances your connection to yourself, your loved ones, and the Divine.”

I do believe that our homes can become “thinner” as we meditate and pray together daily, invoking the presence of the communion of Saints, Mother Mary, and God to dwell with us.  Jennifer Williamson claims that “home is but a room in the heart.”  And she is right in that when we unite our hearts with openness to Spirit, wherever we are can become the Divine’s abode.  

I leave you with a wish today: May the veil between Heaven and earth in your space grow ever more thin!  And may your home be a place of solace, refreshment, and joy!  

Be blessed sweet friends!

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