It is common for us to see the purchase of a property as the culmination of a life project or the realization of a dream.
But sometimes the wind changes the course of our lives and the paths become uncertain, that decision to have “the house that I promised you so much” as Rafael Hernandez says in his song. This was not easy for us when we sold our house in Puerto Rico and we bought in one in Laureldale, PA. The fear of uncertainty drowned us, everything was new for my family and the obstacles were many since we were the first Puerto Ricans in the neighborhood and only spoke Spanish.
We gave ourselves the task of making our house an oasis in the desert. That place where we found peace in the midst of the labyrinth that each one lived in the process of adapting to a new culture and again remember that we only spoke Spanish. The house became a home. The walls were adorned with art that reminded us of where we came from. The aromas of Puerto Rican cuisine wafted through the neighborhood. The culture of our neighbors and ours coexisted respecting the differences and enjoying what united us.
And that’s where we learned the difference between a house and a home. The house provides us with the necessary comforts, but the home is created by the family or the person who lives in it according to the cycle of life they are living. No matter where you are, create that magical place that is home sweet home.
Maria M. Garcia, BA, MA
