One of the gifts of my life, as I grow older, is understanding happenings from the past. Recently I reexperienced an episode of homesickness. When our family was moving to a new house, my parents sent my sister and I to summer camp. I was almost 5 years old at the time. I remember being taken to the camp, but nothing else; I felt what I now can identify as numbness. Much later, I heard my parents talking about that move and how we were left at camp. As an adult, I recognized it as a feeling of homesickness. Thankfully it was only a week, and I rebounded, but it was in my mind for many years.

I noticed a similar expression in my 11 year old son's eyes when we moved from a beloved home. It was the pain of leaving a house, a home. He felt homesick. I wonder if my other children have suffered from homesickness?

Now I have lived for 30 years in my current home. I almost left it, but the pain I felt, stopped me to reconsider. I was able to decide not to leave or suffer; I could stay in my house this time. I had thought that moving was the wise thing to do as I got older with the comfort of family close by. I totally left out the positive possibilities of staying healthy, reaping the benefits of long term connections, and knowing my environment.

For myself, parents, and children, lets be aware of this difficult transition of life and honor the idea of home. Its a good topic for a conversation with your child at any age.