Do you ever sink into your favourite chair or maybe patio swing and sigh, “Ah, it’s good to be home”? Well, the older I get, the more often I find myself breathing that sigh of contentment. And I don’t think I’m alone.
I was chatting with a friend recently on the pickleball court. They had sold the family trailer/cabin at the lake, and she was trying to figure out what to do with everything. After 20 years and three kids, there was a lot of stuff. I was curious about her reasons for selling the lake getaway. “We’re all laked out,” she told me. Yes, there were many memories made at the lake, but with her kids grown and on their own, there just wasn’t enough to entice her and her husband to make the two-hour trip out there. Not even for the fishing.
With a content look on her face, she said she was looking forward to being at home, spending more with family, gardening, playing pickleball with friends and doing other outdoor activities.
I get it. We are all “laked” out also. Although we chose not to invest in a trailer and lake spot, we used to spend many summer weekends away from home. Camping, visiting family out of town, and exploring. Before we started to escape in the winters, we would do a bigger trip in the summer. Maybe visit the mountains, the ocean or another Canadian province. But now it’s nice to stay home. We enjoy our backyard, especially since our neighbour from hell left two years ago. We have lots of trees, squirrels, birds, and greenery with the odd vegetable or flower thrown in. It’s quiet. Peaceful. We can come and go as we please. We have Wi-Fi, cell service, free parking and electricity. We have two fire pits and a chimenea. We have a nice bathroom, and that’s important!
I think it’s all about environmental comfort preference. Say what? I had never heard of that until a graphic popped up on my Facebook feed. Scary how that happens, right? Environmental comfort preference is basically how humans react to their environment. It includes things such as temperature, air quality, sound and visual impact. There is actually a science around it. (You can do the reading or take my word for it.) Give this some thought. Your home is more than just a physical structure. It is the place where you can relax and be yourself. It is the place where you make the most memories. It shelters you in the cold; it heals you when you’re sick. It applauds you when you’re excited and it nurtures you when you’re sad. Your home is everything.
Research shows that your immediate surroundings, i.e., your home, can impact your cortisol or stress hormones, control your mood and even influence how you feel about yourself and others sharing that space with you.
Our home is connected to our identity. In some studies, strangers were asked to guess personality traits just by looking at a photo of someone’s bedroom. They were highly accurate. We are often judged by our home, both inside and out. And in this day of cookie-cutter homes, it’s interesting to note how the layouts inside reflect the personality traits of their owners when the outsides are all identical.
On the flip side, there are some people who never feel “at home”. This is tied to identity disruption rather than the physical space. Hmmm. Interesting. If I were starting my education again I know what I’d choose for my thesis!
Of course we can’t stay home all the time. But with the cost of gas and dining out getting higher just about every day (no thanks to you know who), it makes sense to stay a bit closer to home base.
The city in which I have lived the last 40 or so years is beautiful in the summer. Sure, like all cities, it has its share of problems. Homelessness is unchecked. Crime is rampant. It would be easy to just stay home in my cozy backyard. But my husband and I have decided to get out and explore the city. Our main idea is to visit as many parks as we can. (Saskatoon has about 200 parks.) Thanks to bad weather, bad backs, sore knees, FIFA and regular activities, we are off to a slow start, but at least it’s a start.
We just discovered Hyde Park and thoroughly enjoyed the 3.2km walk which takes you past various natural habitats that offer a home to many different types of birds and other small creatures. It is easy to forget that you are surrounded by city elements when you’re exploring nature.
And silly me, I just found out that there is a beautiful park within walking distance of my house. I’ve only lived here 30 years! Don’t judge me. I knew part of the park existed, but I didn’t know there was a nice path all around. I’ve never had reason to go to the other side. But now I do. It’s a perfect place for a quick walk with the dog and a 20-minute fresh air fix.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to go far to play tourist. We may be all “laked” out, but there are plenty of local places to explore, cafes to try out, and little stores tucked away in old heritage buildings. You can pretend you’re telling a stranger some things to do in your hometown. I mean we are spending hours checking out things to do when we journey to Ireland in
Interesting Reads & Things
https://www.saskatoon.ca/parks-recreation-attractions/parks/park-locations-amenities
Wanderings Art 