Why Nothing Is Better Than Coming Home
5 things that make my home the best place on Earth
Bus 26 from Lisbon to Figueira da Foz.
Late afternoon. Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
I honestly don’t think I was snoring.
But also? I feel like I was totally snoring.
I definitely kept waking up to find the inside of my mouth had completely dried up, which even the Hardy Boys know is a sure sign that open mouth breathing has been happening. I’m relieved to report that no drool was spotted. So there’s that ray of sunshine in my otherwise mortifying journey from Chicago to the little city by the sea where I live.
The only thing I’m absolutely certain of is that after 19 days away, I was beyond ready to be home.
Is there anything better than coming home after you’ve gone away?
What is that about, do you think?
I think it’s about the exhale.
The moment your shoulders drop. Your brain shuts off. Your lungs tell your heart to relax because you’re back in the place where you can drop the weight of everything you carried while you were out in the world.
Travel is amazing. But it’s also decisions, logistics, and a million tiny calculations. It’s smiling at strangers. And making small talk. And trying not to panic when you don’t see your flight on the giant TV screen that’s supposed to be telling you what gate to go to.
Home? It’s autopilot. It’s muscle memory. It’s peace.
It’s the place where you can step through the door and everything feels ... right.
Where you’re surrounded by things that bring you comfort. And things that make life easy. And things that remind you how dazzling you are when you’re rested and fed.
We don’t need a lot of stuff in our homes, but we do need these things.
They make the exhale happen.
They are the reason the exhale can happen.
They are why nothing is better than coming home.
For me, there are five things that make my home the best place on the planet.
Five things that I can’t wait to get home to.
Five things I find myself dreaming of while I'm probably not snoring on the number 26 bus.
In order of importance to me, they are:
My shower. Mostly because of the excellent water pressure and the non-wonky shower head that absolutely does not shoot water out at weird angles so that you can never get the shampoo out of your hair. But also because it has the good smelling soap and the conditioner that makes my hair the perfect amount of wavy without being too staticky or too smooth.
My bed. Does everyone love their bed or is this just me?
My coffee maker. I am not a coffee snob, but my moka pot makes the best cup of coffee. And if I’m going to be away from home for awhile? It goes right in the suitcase because when you want a good cup of coffee, the moka pot never fails.
My dresser. But only because it is not a suitcase.
My coming home ritual dinner. No idea how this came to be my thing. But I’ve started eating the same thing every time I come home from a trip. Mozzarella and salami on a crusty roll. Followed by coffee chocolate chip ice cream. From the carton. This is not exactly fine dining. And you are not the only person who thinks it’s weird. I also think it’s weird. And yet, I love it.
These things that we crave when we’re away? They tell us that we belong here in our home. That we are safe here in our home. That we can snore up a storm here if we need to. That we. Are. Home.
Why do you love coming home?
Hit reply and share the five things that make your home the best place on Earth—or drop them in the comments. What’s your version of the exhale?
Your coffee brewing friend who is really not a coffee snob,
Vivian