Seeking Belonging: A Series

We belong to one another.

Strip the titles, labels, and identities away, and our shared humanity remains. 

Understanding that we belong to one another is the necessary starting place for individual and collective healing, as well as for social transformation. Though vulnerable to clichés and lofty sentiments, when taken to heart this understanding has far-reaching implications.

The theme of belonging and interdependence has risen to the forefront of my consciousness this year. I am graced with the beauty of it time and time again and am reminded of its necessity everyday.

I've wrestled with the vastness of this theme and how to write about it. Perfectionism and fear often hold me back from writing, yet suppressing my voice is maddening too; I know it is time to pick up the pen again. 

Today, I’m starting a series on belonging: exploring its meaning, necessity, and implication for our personal and public lives.

At the heart of this effort is an awareness of our urgent need to cultivate a sense of belonging. As 2016 has progressed, this societal need has become increasingly clear—and our lack of affinity and connectedness painfully raw. 

As Gregory Boyle notes in Tattoos of the Heart: “Mother Teresa diagnosed the world’s ills in this way: we’ve just ‘forgotten that we belong to each other.’”

We need to remember that we belong to one another. It’s my hope that as we explore this theme, amidst our diversity and divides, our sense of connectedness and interdependence will grow. However I want be clear that as we do so, we must be mindful not to invalidate identities or disregard the unique experiences that accompany them. 

It is good to be writing again, and I look forward to seeking belonging and community together.
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Please email me if you’d like to share your story, discuss this topic, or join the effort in general. I’ll shoot you the latest blogs and updates as this project unfolds.