Shelter for the Soul

Abstract

Something can be called “home” but never actually put one at ease. On the other hand, to have a place of comfort and consistency in a life that has otherwise been lacking in both can be transformative. This is what James Baldwin was getting at when he wrote: “Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition.” This chapter looks at three places that create a sense of home, both literally and in terms of the “irrevocable condition” that Baldwin wisely identified.