If a stranger were to look at the place, they would see dusty, white painted wood, stones that had once been painted but were fading, and dirt that was packed down so hard that no plant life grew from it.
They would look at (and probably judge) the furniture, old and worn, several years out of the newest styles and trends, the mix-match of dishes and cups in all shades, patterns, and materials, and the clutter of books, papers, and knick-nacks piled in the corner.
They would look over the structure, with windows, doors, chimney, roof, and walls, with a few plants in the front and berry patches on the side. They would notice the two small, scraggy trees planted nearby, so short compared to others nearby, and the random concrete slab that stood alone on the side of the house.
'Why not move closer to town' they would ask, 'surely it would be better for you. More convenient'
They would look at the place and probably think it was nothing special.
They would look, but they would not see, know, or understand.
They could not see wood that had held up to all the storms the world had thrown at them. They could not see that the stones were painted with symbols and pictures in memorial of those that had left and those that had gone. They could not see the dirt that had been walked dutifully a hundred and one times, that would not wash away like the loose soil or dead plants when the winter rains finally came.
They could not know that the furniture had been with them from the beginning of their time together. They could not know the story behind each cup, plate, bowl, and silverware piece, and how each was obtained. They could not know that each book had been read a dozen times, the knick-nacks had been gathered with a tale behind each, and the papers were organized in a way that their owner knew where to find them.
They could not understand the importance and significance of the building, and how it had stood strong throughout all the years. They might understand that having berries and plants around was good, but they could not understand the hard work of planting them by hand, by watering them everything, or the sweat that been put into them, when there was an easier way, it was their way. They could not understand that two greater trees had once stood nearby, some of the greatest in the area, but they had gotten old and diseased. They could not understand how to protect the house, the old trees had been brought down, and these little ones, children of the originals, now stood in their places. They could not understand how nice the concrete was, how long after the sun had left the sky, the concrete retained the warmth of the day, and it was the perfect place to lie back and watch the stars as they came out to play.
They would see a building, but they saw something more. They saw a place that had been theirs for so many years, through the good and the bad, the exciting, the dull, and the in-betweens. A claim to a place, a sense of belonging.
They would know it provided shelter, but they knew it was more than physical shelter from the elements. It was a place to hide from the tragedy of the world, a safe place to curl up and cry with each other when the pain was too much, a place where you didn't have to wear a mask, where you could just be yourself.
They might understand the importance of having a strong base of operations, but on that point, they would be wrong. They knew it was more than that. It was a place where the lights of the city did not pollute the sky and the murmurs of life settled once the sun set, allowing for rest. It was more than just a team base. It was a family base.
It was home.