"Naval Officer's Daughter" Inspired by Rural Voices:

Naval Officer’s Daughter

Home isn’t any one place--

it’s the house we’re renting until we’re told to move,

it’s Grandma’s house where we live each summer vacation,

it’s the hotel we’re staying at for the night on our way to the next place.

Home means where the people I love are.

Home isn’t just one expectation

but two settings:

Dad’s home

or Dad’s not home.

If setting A,

then six table settings for dinner and ice cream in the freezer.

If setting B,

then five table settings and breakfast for dinner once a week.

Home means where Dad will come back to us.

Home isn’t grounded or easy to define;

home is more of an abstract concept.

Home is emotions and memories,

it’s people and the time we spend together,

it’s where we experience growth and plan our dreams.

Home is something you have to experience in order to understand.