When a house becomes a home...

Traveling long distances away from home is more common in today’s society. It didn’t always use to be this way. People used to go to work close to home because their means of travel was limited. Today, it’s not uncommon that people travel all over the world for work either temporarily or permanently. In a month I graduate from college and I will be accepting a job that will relocate me to the east coast. It’s also a traveling job in which I will be flying all over the east coast and mid-west. Looking for housing on the east coast is an interesting experience. I have always lived in California and although the weather is very nice.  The housing in California is all wood or metal framed buildings. Whereas, housing on the east coast is mostly brick homes that were built many years ago. Granted the houses made of brick are sturdier and long lasting, today’s society would rather put up track homes where in the course of one brick home to be made. Ten wood framed homes can be place in the same amount of time. Everyone is so fast paced today and most people don’t stop and enjoy the beauty that man can create. To stop, smell the roses in a sense and enjoy life. Where a house is just a house, a temporary place where they live. When they are ready to slow down and smell the roses. Their house becomes a home.

In “At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers” written by Rushdie, a story filled with subliminal messages that can be construed in many different ways depending on the person. Just like when a house becomes a home as I stated above. Rushdie states “after all these years of separation and non-communication, the Gale I adore is not entirely a real person.” This can happen very easily when you’re always on the run due to work related reasons. I am afraid of this in a way because I’m moving away from all my friends and family and when ‘separation and non-communication,’ occurs it changes type of person you are. Changing who you are and it’s difficult to get back to where you once where.

In this story, a pair of ruby slippers represents everyone’s desires to get back to the place that they called home for so long. Just like in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wares a pair of red slippers. Clacked her heals together saying ‘there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. The main character decided to buy a pair of ruby slippers with hopes that in giving them to Gale to reconcile their relationship. During the auction the main character has an epiphany realizing that he is putting a price on love in hopes of getting back Gale. In which at that moment he is free from the loveless bond between Gale and himself.

Once you move away from a place that you have called home “you can’t ever go home” again. Things will change like they always do and things just will not be the same. While moving away from home to go to college was a big step. Now that I am about to graduate and leave from the home that I have made for myself. I look back on who I was and who I am now I would not recognize myself back then. That’s what happens to most people too, all they are left with is the memory and the hope that things will be like they were. But, for me I’m not hoping to stumble across a pair of ruby slippers to make life like it once was. I have too much knowledge that could help the world and I would hate to sacrifice one life for another.