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Jennifer Lee, age 12

Having a stable, safe, and affordable place to live makes me feel strong and responsible. Strong, for letting me have my own place to run around in, and besides that, I feel strong to be proud of my house. And responsible, having my own house makes me feel that I should keep it clean. A house to me was always an umbrella, and a warm fireplace.

I think where you live determines what kind of person you are. Living in the suburbs is much quieter than the city. It's so peaceful and quiet there. Camping is not a place you'd live in forever but I camp so much, it's like a home for me. When I lived in the city, I would go shopping and watch television, and sometimes get bored. When I go camping, I'm a whole lot different. I never seem to get bored. There's always fishing, cooking by the fireplace, writing in my journal, and so many hiking trails that I could never finish. I get really dirty outdoors, but not like in the city when I go shopping or stay home. It's almost like being an outdoor and indoor person at the same time, but that just goes to show how much people can change just by their surroundings.

Having my own home made me learn that having a place to live was the most important thing of all. Everything starts life by having a place to live and a place to call home. I'm really thankful for my parents, because first of all they found a great place for me and they raise me every day as I grow.

To me my home always felt safe. And that makes me more independent because I could ride my bike or rollerblade back and forth on the sidewalk and not worry much about anything bad happening. I think that one of the most interesting feelings about people is feeling safe. That's the part in our mind that tells us what's right and what's wrong. Living in a home makes me learn many things while I grow up. It teaches me how to be strong, responsible, safe, independent, and it also helps me remember how much my parents care about me. So far, I have been living in my house for about five years now. I like my house and the best things that I like to do on sunny days is to listen to soft music, open my window by my bed and lay down on the bed and close my eyes. Having a home of my own makes me feel more free and relaxed. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a home of my own. And maybe having a home is supposed to support you and prepare you for your future. Who knows? There must be many answers to why people (or animals) have their own place called "home." And now…I think that having a stable, safe, and affordable place to live affected my life by teaching me many things that I discovered all by myself.