Home Sweet Home with Nature

Home Revolution - today's revolution
Dr Abe V Rotor

Brick House on the Farm in acrylic by the author

In the movie, The King and I, Anna, an English teacher, sang, Home Sweet Home. It was a popular song in her time when Europeans left their home in the later part of the 18th century in search of a new one on the other side of the globe, the New World, which was to become the United States of America. Others found the Orient. Teacher Anna served as tutor to the children of the King of Siam (Thailand)

To many Filipinos, the song stirs the heart as well. Thousands leave their native land, their homes and families in search for opportunities as Overseas Filipino Workers, and emigrants.

To the returnees or balikbayan, home is a retirement in the place of their birth, most of them on the countryside where they spent their happy childhood that tempered their homing instinct.

Many city dwellers are seeking liberation from the “concrete jungle.” Home is more than walls, high rise apartments, canned entertainment, neon lights and fast lanes.

And all over the world, there is a general trend to get closer to the concept of “at home” by going natural the way people dress, the food they eat, the medicine they take, and the many articles they use everyday.

More and more homes are becoming conscious of the deleterious effects of smoking and other vices, following the footsteps set by school campuses, government offices and commercial centers. People are going back to cooking at home, shunning away from artificial food like coffeeless coffee (decaf), sugarless sugar (Aspartame), fatless fat (Olestra). And the so-called “Frankenfood” made from genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Like many schools and establishments, a home that advocates go­ing natural, has started banning carbonated drinks, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), “magic sugar,” and synthetic multivitamins.

The simplicity of homes today goes with the trend of “simple living,” relying less and less on cosmetics and sophisticated fashion. People prefer leather, paper and cotton over synthetics, fresh food rather than processed, baon over fast food. Homestead over condominium. The original bungalow is coming back. It is simple and practical, designed in such a way that a few footsteps lead either to the inside of the house or to the spacious garden which are integrated as one.

But there is a growing concern over global warming that is responsible in the rise of the sea level progressively swallowing up low lying islands, coastal cities and villages, Residents are forced to leave their homes to settle on higher grounds, now a phenomenon scientists call ecomigration. The scenario of these new settlements in dealing with nature can be compared with that of our ancestors building their homes in new territories.

Then there is the growing fear of terrorism. The ultimate scare is the unimaginable disruption of a city of millions of people if and when weapons of mass destruction go off accidentally or by design. The memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has remained fresh even after the 50-year Cold War has ended in 1989. The relief after that had been short lived. Today, more and more people feel the insecurity of living in the metropolis, even with the better access to the Good Life.

On the other hand the Bahay Kubo culture is being revived and modified to suite modern living. We can imagine with awe and appreciation the homes of people whose lifestyle is friendly to the environment, homes that provide a healthy ambiance to the residents, the neighborhood, and ultimately the whole community. This is a new movement that is gaining worldwide attention – home revolution.

The topic of what makes a happy home on Paaralang Bayan sa Him­papawid radio program generated a lot of interesting reactions picturesque of a dream home, with a touch of Utopia. It exudes romantic mood, it is full of optimism and imagery as well. Apparently the callers must be enjoying the comforts of a happy home.

On the other side are the realities of life many people are not so happy about; people who do not even have homes, they don’t have adequate food, proper health care, basic education, and therefore deprived of the comforts of living and the promise of a bright future.

I believe that living close to Nature, by respecting her laws and rules, appreciating her beauty and bounty, and helping in her “housekeeping” to make a healthy, clean and comfortable environment will certainly ease the burden of living; in fact it strengthens our will and spirit to live and to enjoy the best life could give. In our resolve to keep the family bond close and firm, strive to have a strong and comfortable dwelling, keep our surroundings clean and green, and above all, elevate our level of consciousness toward goodness and beauty, is recreating a patch of Eden we call Home, Sweet Home.

Together let us make our Planet Earth our Home, Sweet Home. ~

Home, Sweet Home

The song's melody was composed by Henry Bishop 

with lyrics by John Howard Payne, 1823. 

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home

A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there

Which seek thro' the world, is ne'er met elsewhere

Home! Home!

Sweet, sweet home!

There's no place like home

There's no place like home!

An exile from home splendor dazzles in vain

Oh give me my lowly thatched cottage again

The birds singing gaily that came at my call

And gave me the peace of mind dearer than all

Home, home, sweet, sweet home

There's no place like home, there's no place like home!