The Architecture of Us
Terry Evans
BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Share what you know about the word architecture. What do you think the author means by it in the title?
2. Think about the word familiarity. What does it mean? What is the root of the word?
3. Read the two definitions of shelter below and then use the word in various sentences.
a) any structure that gives you protection from the environment. For example: When it started to rain, I found shelter under a tree.
b) a place you stay when you need emergency housing. For example: After the fire in our apartment building, we moved to a shelter.
Familiarity
A home is nothing to me without my children. They make me feel at home even in a place that doesn’t feel quite like it should. When I think of home, and what exactly makes me feel like I belong, I think of my children. Because of them, I don’t have to worry about what the next house we move into will feel like.
I say that because we lived in a shelter, and it became our home for about three months. Within those few months, it took me some time to adjust. I was new to the area and new to the people around me. The only familiarity was my children’s presence and their love. I gave them all my attention to keep my mind focused and off the thought of how I would get used to living in a shelter.
My Children Are My Home
As a mom, I have had to find a safe and secure home for us with just the two of them by my side. The laughs and conversations we share with one another flood me with emotions. Soon, I start to feel at home. That feeling is something we carry with us no matter where we are living, whether that is with relatives, a friend, or even in a shelter. One thing is certain: my children are my home, especially when I don’t own a house of my own.
AFTER YOU READ:
1. Terry says she feels at home if her children are with her, no matter where they are living. Try using no matter in several of your own sentences.
2. Read the articles on p. 17 and/or pp. 18-19. Compare and contrast the writers’ perspectives. Make a Venn diagram and take notes.
Terry Evans is a student in the FACE Adult Education program at Blackwater Community School in the Gila River Indian Community in Coolidge, Arizona. She is currently pursuing her GED and Paraprofessional Certification with the goal of working as a para-educator. In her free time, Terry enjoys spending quality time with her children and traveling to experience new places and things.