The living room serves as the heart of any home. As a family lives in a home over several years, they begin to instill a sense of themselves in their living room. Unlike other rooms in the house, the living room has no set purpose. It can function as anything depending on the wishes of its inhabitants. The living room in the house at 1149 Cherry Hill Lane comforts its occupants with familiar people, memorable activities, and a pleasant atmosphere.

The people living in this house spend the majority of their time in the living room. Most evenings, the father of the home watches the television while working on his laptop. The glow from the screens serves as the only illumination in the main part of the home. In the corner, the family dog rests on his fluffy blue blanket. The blanket has seen almost as many years as the dog and serves to cushion him from the chill permeating the tiled floor. As he chews on his life- long friend, his smacking irritates the typing hands, and they eventually move the dog and his blanket into the hallway and return to their work. Some nights, if a phone call explaining regretful tardiness replaces the sound of typing, the mother will take her place on the couch. When she occupies the room, the shining of light bulbs supplants the glowing of screens. As her eyes read the latest novel in her collection, the sound of pages flipping fills the room. On these evenings, the dog stays in the room and may even sneak a taste of the mother’s snacks. When neither the mother nor the father claims the use of the living room, the son uses the room however he wants. With the forgotten homework tossed onto the coffee table, his hands also occupy themselves with typing. However, this typing sounds different from the father’s typing because it comes from the keypad of a cell phone instead of the keyboard of a laptop. Between quick messages to friends, he glances at the television to see the happenings on his favorite television show. When home alone, the son sometimes puts the dog’s blanket on the couch, giving him permission to break the rules for once. As each person contributes his or her character to the room, it takes on the joint personality of the family.

When the entire family fills the living room, they spend their time doing various activities. Besides the usual pastimes of watching television and reading, they study, talk, eat, watch movies, and play games in the living room. The room often serves as a dining room. As everyone eats their meal, the old dog paces the floor and begs for scraps. On other occasions, the sounds of playing a board game echo from the living room. Whether caused by the electricity going out or the lack of decent programming on the television, playing games offers a break in the monotony of mindless staring. The competition brings the family closer together by providing a way to familiarize themselves with one another. On the weekends, the family spends the evenings watching movies. The surround-sound speakers reverberate the crashing of cars in an action movie or the falling of rain in a melancholy drama. The dog often drags his blanket away from the trembling speakers on these nights. The family also throws many parties throughout the year, and the living room serves as the central location for the guests. The visitors congregate in the living room, becoming a part of the family for the duration of the party. When the day comes to an end and everyone hurries to prepare for bed, the living room becomes a place to talk about the day ahead. The television blinks off, the books close, and everyone tries to relax before bed. This period between day and night gives the family time to be alone with their thoughts and plan out the next day.

With its relaxing atmosphere, the living room is the ideal location for uniting the family and relaxing the individuals. In the wintry months, the fireplace radiates heat throughout the room. The flicker of the flame casts light on the cold room, filling it with warmth despite the chill. In the spring, the sound of the cardinal pecking at its own arrogant reflection in the window punctuates the silence of the season. As fall begins to change the leaves, the family sits on the cozy couch or recliner and watches the transformation through the giant window. The mother lights candles throughout the year, and their smell mixes with the aroma of cooking food. The intoxicating smell draws the family to the kitchen to see what is baking in the oven. Throughout the year, the living room’s atmosphere remains calm and welcoming.

As time goes on, the living room begins to show the wear and tear of everyday life. The couch becomes worn, the television becomes outdated, and the blue fuzzy blanket loses its fluff. However, the memories created in the room never wear out. They establish the foundation on which a new generation of the family is built. The next generations will assemble new living rooms, and they will unite the family with pleasant people, comforting activities, and intimate atmospheres.