No matter where you go, home is best

 

Rodgers Irimayi
Cultural Perspectives

 

NO matter where you go and whatever you do, home is always the best.

The song by Master KG: ‘No matter where you go’, triggered me to think of the importance of the place we call home.

All living human beings need homes where they have that sense of belonging and pride.

Having a place that you call home gives personal freedom and emotional attachment that impact negatively or positively on one’s overall quality of life.

A person’s life is shaped by the kind of home one grows up in. In fact, home can be a reflection of one’s personal identity, values, and culture.

A home, whether rural or urban, can be a very special and meaningful place which can often be considered the best as it provides comfort and safety than being in another place.

It is a place where we can feel secure, relaxed, and at ease.

 

No matter how tough life at home might have been in the past, memories always get people attached to the places they grew up in.

Imagine the freedom you used to have in the village when you could do things at your own pace with your relatives and friends.

Moving away from home for a long time can result in ‘home sickness’, which is a feeling of sadness, anxiety, or depression due to the separation from home.

This home sickness can result in one having difficulty in concentrating or sleeping due to preoccupation with thoughts of home.

Home sickness is common among students leaving home for the first time to attend school, college or university elsewhere.

It also affects individuals moving to new cities or countries for work or other reasons including those in the military or others who are deployed or stationed away from their homes.

Even travellers or expatriates who are away from their home countries for extended periods might develop the nostalgia for home environment.

The reason why everyone prefers home is that it is always difficult to replicate familiar home environments when they go elsewhere.

The migration from rural to urban location results in home sickness.

 

Imagine those who go to stay in other countries, and even overseas, and how their emotional attachments are affected especially when they start having personal memories of relationships at home.

 

The home attachment that develop overtime can make them feel irreplaceable.

At home we cultivate social connections which are often associated with family ties as people feel attached to their loved ones.

 

It is at home where one becomes a member and part of a larger community where people get connected to their neighbors, friends and local culture.

Home is often associated with happy memories, such as family gatherings, celebrations, and special events.

Such links provides a support network where people can turn to for help and guidance which becomes the cornerstone for a sense of emotional security.

 

These community relationships provide a strong sense of belonging where individuals feel accepted and loved.

The benefits of having a home also include physical comfort where one needs a familiar environment to feel comfortable and at ease.

 

It is the cozy atmosphere of home where individuals can relax and unwind.

With a sense of personal space of the home, people are able to retreat from the world and recharge since there is a level of privacy and control over an environment that is harder to achieve in other settings.

 

The home can serve as a sanctuary from the stresses and demands of the outside world.

No matter where we go, there are several compelling reasons why people should consider investing back home.

While everyone’s experience of home is unique, the sense that home is the best often stems from the profound emotional, psychological, and practical benefits it provides us.

 

We need to look back and invest in properties for the benefit of ourselves and those that live back home.

Investing back home allows people to directly contribute to the growth and prosperity of the places and communities that matter most to them.

 

It can be a meaningful way to support one’s local economy and create positive change.

It provides support which is needed by the local community as it can help create jobs, and provide resources that benefit the people who live there.

 

It can foster a greater sense of pride and belonging. Such investments can spur economic growth and revitalisation in a home region.

Home investment can increase property values, attract new businesses, and improve overall standards of living.

 

It also allows people to directly see the impact of their money and be involved in how it is used to benefit their community and the people they know.

Such investment provides a sense of confidence and security, as opposed to investing in unknown or distant markets.

 

Therefore, investments tied to your home region can help mitigate risks associated with solely investing in distant or volatile markets.

There are often tax incentives and programmes that encourage people to invest in their local communities, such as opportunity zones or community development initiatives.

Such investments can be a way to build long-term wealth and leave a positive legacy for future generations who are connected to that place.

Zimbabwean working in other countries are encouraged to invest back home and through diaspora investment forums organised by Government.

 

Some are the taking advantage of establishing their own businesses home in the various sectors of the economy which include agriculture, mining, tourism, construction and food processing among others.

It reminds me of the song ‘Ndafunga Dande’ by the late musical icon and national hero, Oliver Mtukudzi, which calls on individuals to remember going back home.

 

Rodgers Irimayi is the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Masvingo Provincial Information Officer. He writes in his personal capacity and can be contacted on +263778246098 or [email protected].