Each Tuesday we'll be posting a new perspective on ETXE : HOME. This piece is by Tim Loc, a writer and friend.
How do you define home?
My family—dad, mom, sister, brother—is home to me. Their unconditional love is what makes me feel validated as a person. There’s this constant feeling of *striving* when you’re out; at school, at work, even when you’re just hanging at a bar on a Friday evening. But with family you’re allowed to come as you are. Sometimes the results aren’t so pretty, but I know that, at the end of the day, I’m not kidding anyone when I’m with family.
What in your closet makes you feel most at home?
Probably my green hoodie. I never wear it outside because, at some point, I decided green wasn’t my color. But I wear it around the house when it gets cold. It’s also really snug and comfortable. The cuffs are worn through.
What is your favorite memory of home?
Not really a “favorite” memory. But when the Northridge Quake hit, we spent the night lighting candles and listening to a radio broadcast (no TV since the power was out). It was kind of frightening, but disaster also engenders a sense of we’re-in-this-together. That night always stuck out in my mind.
What’s something you always take with you when traveling to remind you of home?
I don’t really have an object that I take with me. I’m in regular contact with my family when I’m overseas (email, call services via wifi, etc). My mom is convinced my organs will be stolen and harvested when I’m in another country. So I have to constantly prove my existence to her, meaning I don’t need an object to remind me of home.
Read last week's ETXE : HOME with Kristen.
