How "Here" with Tom Hanks Changed the Way I See My Home Forever
What if your imperfect house was the perfect home all along?
✨ What’s in this post:
🏠 How Here shows the hidden histories of homes
📚 Five books about the meaning of home
💡 Why imperfection can make a house perfect
The Stories Our Homes Tell Us
Over the weekend, I watched Here, starring Tom Hanks (a couple of times), and it left me in tears. The movie takes place in a single room, spanning centuries. We see how the space transforms over time—new families move in, old ones leave, and life continues.
The beauty of Here is how it captures the quiet significance of a single place. A room becomes so much more than walls and furniture; it’s a witness to our triumphs, heartbreaks, and everything in between.
It got me thinking about my own experience with homes. For a couple of years now, I’ve struggled with leaving behind my dream house in Phoenix. That house had everything—six bedrooms, a pool, 3,500 square feet, a three-car garage, and even a dedicated laundry room. It felt like the perfect backdrop for our family of eight.
Our move to El Paso changed everything. Now, we live in a smaller house—less than 2,000 square feet, no pool, no laundry room, and a kitchen that’s a tight squeeze. Even our dining table doesn’t fit all of us anymore.
I’ve spent so much time missing what we left behind, but Here made me realize something important: a house isn’t just about features—it’s about the life you build inside it.
The quirks we think of as flaws often become the very details we cherish.
Tips to Love Your Home More
If you’ve ever struggled to embrace your home like I have, here are some small but powerful ways to fall in love with it:
Rediscover its history: Research your home’s past. Who lived there before you? What stories might your walls hold? Learning about the history can create a deeper connection.
Make it personal: Decorate with items that tell your story—photos, souvenirs, and meaningful keepsakes. A home that reflects your life feels more alive.
Focus on the people: Remember that it’s the laughter, conversations, and shared meals that make your house feel like home.
Create rituals: Whether it’s movie nights in the living room or morning coffee on the porch, small traditions can make any space feel magical.
Embrace imperfection: Instead of focusing on what your home lacks, celebrate its quirks. That scratch on the table? It’s a story from family dinners.
Five Books That Celebrate the Meaning of Home
If Here left you thinking about the stories your home holds, these books will give you even more to explore:
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne transforms Green Gables into a place of joy and belonging. It’s a story about how love can make any house feel like home.Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This series captures the spirit of home as something built with family, hard work, and hope, even in the toughest times.Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Manderley is more than just a setting—it’s a character in itself. This haunting tale shows how homes can hold onto secrets and shape lives.The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Esperanza dreams of a home she can be proud of, showing how deeply connected our identity is to the spaces we live in.A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Nolan family’s humble home is a place of struggle and resilience, proving that the simplest homes often hold the greatest meaning.
Literary Reflections on Home
“Home is the nicest word there is.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” — Confucius
“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” — Benjamin Franklin
“There is no place more delightful than one’s own fireside.” — Cicero
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” — Robert Frost
Here reminded me that no house is perfect, but the love and life inside it are what truly matter. Our homes are where we laugh, cry, grow, and come together. They may not always look like the dream houses we imagine, but they hold something even more valuable: our stories.
What makes your home special? Is it a memory, a tradition, or simply the people you share it with? Let me know in the comments. And if you have a favorite book about the meaning of home, I’d love to hear about it too!
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Happy reading,
Karen
