A house, many people could define this as a roof over your head, and a comfortable environment to survive in. However, I believe that there is more to a house than just the physical things that make it up. I lived in a house for most of my childhood and looking back I can say I had good memories there, but I had to move when I was in my early teenage years. We had to move because my parents rented that house and the owners were selling it. Then we rented another house where we only lived for a year, yet again we had to move because the owners said they were selling that house too. So finally we moved into a trailer where I have lived ever since then. Living here hasn't been the best times. I mean for me, who has been so use to living in a house, it was quite an adjustment. So looking back on my childhood yes, I have moved a lot and now live in a trailer. However, it’s not about what you live in whether it be a townhouse, a condo, a motel, an igloo, a tepee, or even a trailer. What matters is the love inside the house, which is what makes it a home. When people say I'm going to my “house,” they say I'm going to my structure that was built for me, but when people say I’m going to my “home,” that means they are going to a place where they are loved and know they are welcome with open arms. You see, having a house is one thing but without people in it who love and care for one another it is just that, a house: a door, windows wood, paint, nails, etc. So having this Habitat home is a good opportunity for my family to grow and continue to be there for each other. It’s an opportunity for my little brother and sister to have a place they can call home. A place where they'll remember when they look back that, and can say they have lots of fun memories. This means so much to my family and to me, a house we can finally call home. I knew that when they got into this program that their lives will never be the same, but it’s not just them who will be affected. I am too, I look forward to spending time in our home together and making many more memories to come.
To read other winning essays, visit the main 2008 Homeowner Youth Essay Contest page.
