To belong or not...that is the question?

Belonging.
  
Inevitably any conversation about loneliness shoves us up against the universally urgent need called belonging.

Here’s a secret:

There’s no such thing as not belonging.

Seriously.

Thing is, we don’t know this. Or at least we don’t remember this. Makes sense, as living can easily knock it out of our heads and hearts. After all, we keep getting thrown out of things:

out of friend clubs;

out of partnership clubs;

out of family love clubs;

out of intimacy clubs;

and out of the world-is-safe club ‘cause everything feels like it's falling to pieces and we’re confused about where to stand to avoid falling through the cracks.

Belonging is more than a want - it’s a rightful need. It’s our birthright.

We belong to the human race, though it can get easy to be sad about that, considering how badly we treat each other.

We belong to our heritage, though for many of us it’s hard to remember historical reverence amidst feelings of family disenfranchisement and feuds.  The natural hunger is there though - which probably accounts for the proliferation of genealogy investigations.

We belong to a universe beyond comprehension, although the grinds of daily life can be so distracting we can easily lose the faith that reports this connection.

We belong in our bodies, although it’s easy to shame ourselves into disconnection.

We belong in a vivacious, consistent life-force experience, although in the blink of an eye we can be in a suffering that disavows all hope.

And above all, we belong in connection, although because of the aforementioned bad treatment, disenfranchisement, daily grinds, shame and hopelessness it’s easy to forget this!

If the only thing we ever do our entire lives is learn that connection leads us back to belonging we will have lived a life we feel proud of.  This brings us back to conversation about being courageously vulnerable, open and authentic. By now you know, such notions are better than bad. Still, they require intention, at least in the beginning.

Actually, connection’s another thing that comes naturally to us. Intuitively we realize the inextricable connections between up and down; in and out; day and night; earth and sky.

We know fish belong in water and birds belong in air.

We understand the threads of a tapestry depend on each other to create the picture.

We realize that to create six, 2 must be partnered with 4, or 1 with 5, or 3 with 3. That is, some connection partnership must be formed to reach a higher number.

We get that when we hold hands, or hug, or bump shoulders or touch in any way, we experience an internal chemical response. We can call this alchemy. Of course, as in original alchemical experiments, when it comes to human interaction there’s decoding required. If connection is so complicated is there a formula?

Kinda.

Live IN each moment with all you are and all you bring.

Treat life as a precious gift to be passionately revered.

Live a dog’s life.

You know how it works:

Dog gets up in the morning. Best day ever!!

Dog goes out to pee. Best day ever!!

Dog eats breakfast.  Best day ever!!

Dog gets tummy scratched.  Best day ever!!

Dog takes nap.  Best day ever!!

Dog wakes up from nap to find you at home.  Best day ever!!

Dog goes out to pee.  Best day ever!!

Dog plays with bone.  Best day ever!!

Dog takes nap.  Best day ever!!

Dog goes out to pee.  Best day ever!!

Dog eats dinner.  Best day ever!!

Dog goes to sleep knowing love.

Best

day

ever!!