On Belonging

Home was where
the heart was
until you left it
behind.

For
the heart was
where adventure was,

in longing for
the unknown,
the unfamiliar,
the transformation,

until it left
you
behind

for belonging in
truth, unity, goodness,
justice, beauty, love
and in discovering

the heart
is where the
home is.

When we leave home behind to answer the call to adventure in the world, our departure is accompanied by a great number of losses. We leave behind what kept us anchored to our understanding of ourselves in the world. We leave behind the physical presence of loved ones. We leave behind consistently close connection with friends. We leave behind physical presence in community. When we no longer frequent familiar surroundings, we leave behind some part of ourselves in the places we know well.

Out in our adventures in the world we begin searching for a new place to call home. We will reclaim the parts of the home we have left behind. When we find what we have lost, we reclaim it. We create a new place to live. We build trusted and deep new friendships. We bring new presence and create shared meaning in new communities. We find a renewed connection to nature. And then our home grows new boundaries. We create a loving partnership and a beautiful family. We find meaning, service and contribution in the world in a vocation we have chosen. Our new home has shaped new presence in the world and we have come more fully alive, yet something is still missing.

Somewhere between our departure from home and living out our call to adventure we have changed. And our definition of what home is, has also changed. We never thought too much about the anchors that defined home in the past. Now that we have created a home in the world we reflect on them. Home once found its foundation when our presence was anchored in our outside world. And as we settle into our new home, we feel incomplete. We do not feel at home in the world and we don’t know why. We sense we are being called some place new and we don’t know where.

Even though we know something is missing, we resist answering the call we know is waiting for us. We keep searching for what is missing, out there. We think a place or a thing we haven’t been will make us feel more at home in the world. We look for the unity in community to give us a clearer understanding of who and what we are and what we came here for. Eventually we begin to understand, what is missing from the home we are searching for is not in a place or a thing outside of ourselves. In fact, if we want to find ourselves completely at home in the world, we need to come fully alive inside of ourselves first. We know no place and no thing out there can comfort the fear we feel about taking the adventure within. We are being called to explore the unknown parts of ourselves where we will find the home that is waiting for us. There is nothing to fear about the journey within. In our adventure we will find the truth, unity, goodness, justice, beauty and love that will bring us home to ourselves. We will find we are the part of our home we are searching for.

Belonging is the process of coming fully alive in oneself. Belonging is about accepting yourself and knowing the home you are searching for is within. Belonging is about knowing your heart is where your home is. Belonging is the courageous conversation of claiming the unique parts of yourself. Belonging is the process of courageously bringing what you find inside out and creating a home for it to thrive in the world.

3 ideas + 3 questions on belonging

Your instructions: Pick One Prompt. Book 30 minutes in your calendar. Start by getting into your body (e.g. do 50 jumping jacks or 100 burpees). Open your journal. Flip to a fresh page. Start a timer. Write continuously. Focus on flow before form. Creativity before structure. Do not stop writing until the timer goes off. Write beyond the timer if you are inspired to do so. 

3 ideas on belonging in the form of 3 prompts:

1. Prompt 1: What I know is missing from the home I’ve made in the world.

2. Prompt 2: Why I’m completely unafraid to be my unique self.

3. Prompt 3: What I discovered when I found my heart is where my home is.

3 questions on the 3 prompts:

1. What one thing from your inner home do you need to bring to life as a daily practice? Can you start doing it today?

2. What makes you unique? Do you embrace it daily? If not, why not?

3. What keeps you from coming home to yourself?

3 insights on belonging

2024-3F3-S01E143_MP1Q4