Coming Home

This is a blog about coming home. I think it's a fair observation that in our culture most of life happens outside our homes. Many adults spend most of their waking hours at work. Children spend most of their waking hours either at daycare,school or both. Grocery store shelves are full of quick convenient foods that can be eaten right from the package or quickly microwaved. We eat our meals on the go, in fast food places and restaurants as we live our busy lives away from home. According to the USDA 43% of our all our food spending is on food away from home. You read that right. Forty three percent of our food budget is spent on snack packs, fast food burgers and Applebee's.

We only spend a tiny fraction of time living at home. Our hyper paced outside lives leave us drained and exhausted. What once was a place of refuge and a source of connection is now the place we are least likely to live. We,as a nation, are suffering from a massive case of homesickness.

Is being home really all that important? According to a 1990 study  done by the US Department of Health and Human services healthy families are essential to the overall health of the nation.

"Society relies on families to perform a number of essential functions such as providing for the economic needs of dependents, rearing and nurturing the next generation,and caring for the frail and disabled. When families break down or malfunction,everyone pays the price. Some of the critical functions of families may be taken over by public agencies or private charities that cannot carry out theses duties as efficiently as family members could, or the needs of family members go unmet."

Clearly, we can't underestimate the importance of home and what happens there.

Home. It's a place we can go to recharge, reconnect, and think about what really matters. Children, especially, thrive in a stable,connected home. No institution, program, or amount of money can replicate a parent lovingly raising a child. Likewise, many relationships improve when home is first. When people put home first marriages are stronger,neighborhoods and communities thrive.There is less substance abuse, less crime, and less broken families when home is first.We don't need academic studies verify what we can see all around us. Home is where we grow people, lives and generations.

Home Grown is a place for those who are looking to leave the empty business of outside things for a time and reconnect with their homes.So, here is my invitation to you: Come Home. Leave work on time today. Say no to the travel soccer team. Read a book to your daughter. Play a board game with your son. Call your parents. Put your phone away.Talk to your spouse. Play with your dog. Make and eat dinner at your own table tonight. Say no to the volunteer opportunity. Get to know your neighbor.

Oh,and,Welcome Home.

Cricket is the official Home Grown Greeter.