Belonging

Belonging is an essential human need. Euro-centric culture tends to value individualism over the collective. That creates structures and communities that lack cohesion and people who feel isolated and many times do not have what they need to thrive. We need to belong. We need the village. Many of us come from families that lack cohesion and support. We are related to a whole lot of people who don't really know us or feel connection with us. Some of us have replaced our dysfunctional families of origin with dysfunctional faith communities, school communities, workplace social groups. We unconsciously set ourselves up to be wounded in familiar ways.We don't actually have to do that.

E.e. cummings wrote, "the eyes of my eyes are open." Once we see what needs to change we cannot un-see it just because we feel frightened or unsure. We need each other.

We need to look out for each other, to be there for each other,

to support one another. I want to challenge you to look for someone in your social context who might benefit from something you have to offer. It might be as simple as a kind word or a smile. It could be a generous tip. It might be something more elaborate like a skill you can offer to better their someone else's life. Don't give it because you want something back or with a mindset that says that person then owes you something. Offer it because you can, and because it will be helpful to a fellow human being. And when someone gives to you out of their abundance? Received it, and them, with joy. Because that is community. Because that is belonging. Because

... why not?