How To Get Your Forever Home

By Beth Steiner

In the very privileged western world, the concept of a ‘forever home,’ has become a thing. 

A couple of years ago, I went to visit a friend at their brand new beautiful home, and while I complimented away at each gorgeous room, she shrugged her shoulders and said ‘yeah it’s good for now, but it’s not our forever home.’ 

I have also noticed this  on social media too- it's popped up on my Instagram almost daily. People are waiting for their forever homes, building their forever homes, wondering how they can alter their current homes to turn them into their forever homes. 

I don’t know why I’ve been thinking so much about this concept lately. Perhaps it’s because my husband is currently not living in our home with us, he’s working rurally for six months, so our house feels a little different—a little off without him around. Maybe it's because I've been thinking about my baby, who is now 18 months old, and in the first year of his life, lived in two different cities and four different homes. 

 Or, maybe it’s because for the past eight months I’ve been learning Tanach (Bible, prophets and other writings) every day which speaks so much about the Beit HaMikdash, or Temple, G-d's physical home base in this world. 

Maybe it’s because property in Sydney is so gosh darn expensive that I know it is unlikely that we will be able to afford our own home for a good while.  

But you know what conclusions I reached? I realised that I have found happiness in every home I have lived in and that in itself is an immense blessing. On top of that, I have two adorable and very naughty little toddlers, a very wonderful life partner, and a very comfortable pillow that goes with me everywhere.

But I think that might be the point. 

As cringe as this sounds; home isn’t bricks and mortar. Yes, I admit, it makes things a hell of a lot easier and more pleasant if you feel comfortable and happy in your physical surrounds (and its important!), but what creates a home? And what makes a home a forever home? 

Well, I don't know much but I can tell you this. Between our two-bedroom apartment on a hospital campus in Canberra and sharing a single bed at my parent's house after a flood, I know this. Our home has been forged each time through our values, through our love for each other, our laughter (cringe) and the ‘things’ we bring into it. And by ‘things’ I don’t mean a new pottery barn rug (lol, I wish). I mean, are we using our kitchen to make meals for those who are sick or in need? Or to invite guests into our home? Are we using our couch to sit with and comfort our friends and family? To laugh and talk with those who add meaning to our lives and us to theirs? Are we using our toys to engage with our children, to show them we want to play with them and share experiences with them (and not sitting on our phones with that, and of that, I am guilty)? 

So no, we, the Steiner family, are not in our forever home. Sure, I would love a big garden I can plant rows of veggies in, and a beautiful sun filled living room and a huge kitchen instead of the shoebox that I am currently cooking in. But I may never get them. And that’s okay. 

Are our values forever values? Yes.

Is our love a forever love? Sure hope so.

So good. We are in our forever home; home, together, forever.

———

To get into contact with Beth Steiner you can contact her via email Bethwigoder@gmail.com or find her on instagram here.