You’ve heard and probably used the phrase, “Home is where the heart is,” many times in your life. It’s a nice way of saying that a home is much more than a roof and four walls. Home is where you feel affection and belonging. It’s the space you share with those you love. In that respect, home can be anywhere. 

I was thinking about all of this while putting together the Home & Garden issue of your favorite magazine. But I want to offer a twist on this old saying, as reflected in the headline above: “Your heart is where your home is.” I know that might look and sound the same as the old adage, but it’s not. The original version implies home can be anywhere, as long as your heart is there. My twist says that home is really inside your heart. Think about it. 

Your heart plays an important role in determining what “home” means to you. I live in Southwest Florida, and even when I travel, my heart leads me back to this beautiful place. It’s where I feel the most comfortable, and I carry in my heart a little piece of it when I travel to visit family or friends.  

Most people who live here feel the same way. It’s often hard to leave, and it is always wonderful to come back. Visitors to Southwest Florida have similar experiences, even though their homes are elsewhere. It’s part of the magic of this place. We carry a piece of paradise in our hearts. 

Have you noticed, though, how many people are choosing to make their home here permanent? Gone are the days when we had breaks in our seasons. Businesses on both the islands and the mainland used to have a slowdown during the summer months, but that has all changed. Now, they are busy year-round as more and more former visitors have chosen to settle here. 

Who can blame them? Our gorgeous part of the world touches the heart and makes a home there for all the newcomers to Southwest Florida. And as much as their new home touches their hearts through the beauty all around, I hope that the opportunities to volunteer in their new community touches their hearts too, and that they get involved. That’s what makes a community thrive. The world is changing, and our affections for home are making us look inward to find what matters most. 

I hope that wherever you find yourself right now, whether here in our Florida paradise or somewhere else, your heart will be warmed by family, friends, community, and what you find in the pages of this issue—like the many years of community support that have made Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida a premier healthcare institution (page 56); how the unconditional love of an animal has therapeutic powers (page 38); and the importance of human interaction in creating a world we all want to live in (page 16).  

Thank you, dear reader, for what you contribute to our shared Southwest Florida home. Please connect with us through your favorite social media channels, and tell us a story from the home inside your heart.    

Daniela J. Jaeger 

Group Publisher, TOTI Media