Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.
Dalai Lama
Contrary to popular belief, ‘home’ isn’t synonymous with ‘house’. ‘House’ is a physical concept, whereas ‘home’ doesn’t have to be one. In fact, it has more to do with people than the brick-and-mortar structure they live in.
As people get increasingly obsessed with material possessions, this distinction seems to have blurred somewhat. However, it is hard to picture a rich man leading a happy life alone in his billion-dollar mansion – at least not as happy as that of a middle-class fellow living with his family in a two-bedroom flat. The idea here is not to downplay the importance of being rich and successful, but to emphasize that of having your loved ones close. After all, what good are goals if you have no one to share the joy of accomplishing them with?
Family is one who is happier than we are when we achieve something and more shattered than we are when we fail in our endeavors. They are the ones who support us through thick and thin when the going gets tough. They are the ones who are more concerned about whether we had lunch on time or not than if we managed to submit that tedious report.
If it wouldn’t be for our families, who would eagerly wait for us and welcome us home after a tiring day at work? The truth is that our families are our biggest support system. They are by no means a hindrance to our goals. If anything, they complement those goals. Their unconditional love and care for us are what make us who we are.
Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual leader and the exiled head of state of China-occupied Tibet. The 14th Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Rinpoche, is known to have said: “Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.”