Survivor Literacy

Daily writing prompt

What does your ideal home look like?

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I was reading through some of the responses to this prompt, and strangely found myself compelled to chime in.

I can’t imagine caring what my dream home might look like, and after reading through several of these posts, I am fairly alone. Several responders mention aesthetics, and lighting as though they matter. Some even mention that the feel of the home is really more important than the aesthetic- now we’re getting somewhere.

My ideal home would be one that I don’t risk losing on a monthly basis. My ideal home is one in which I can shut a door without someone telling me that I’m not the one that paid for that door. My ideal home provides safety and shelter for my children. My ideal home isn’t exhausting every other resource. My ideal home is filled with people who get to be present in the place where they live, not living their lives on someone else’s clock.

I want a home free from narcissists. I want to know that nobody will be belittled or demeaned within it’s walls. I want a place where my children are guided instead of nitpicked. I want a home where each person is responsible for regulating their own emotions, and boundaries are respected. I want a home where we live our values and say what we mean. I want a home overflowing with love and acceptance.

After being homeless for years, I can’t imagine caring about the color, or finish, or the view. I couldn’t care less about curb appeal or interior design. None of that matters, and it becomes repulsive when someone has used it against you. There’s a sting to the facade when you’ve been told that the nice things around you are meant to force your compliance.

My family is currently restructuring (once again), and for the first time I’m hopeful that this ideal home is possible.