You Belong

Imagine you are in a room full of people, but no one is looking at you. No one is talking to you. You are physically uncomfortable, wishing you were in your bed or at least somewhere familiar. You've been there, right? I think we all have. That out-of-place feeling is something everyone has to go through in life. Discomfort isn't always a bad thing. What is important is that we all find our reprieve. We all need to be able to "go home."

I personally believe a sense of belonging is just as important to our well-being as food or shelter. I'm very serious about this. The feeling of not belonging is like starving. Your physical body may look no different, but your mind shrivels up. In my previous classroom, some of my students needed nourishment in the form of food, but ALL of them needed nourishment in the form of belonging. It is a top priority for me to know my students names. I greet them each day. I ask them questions. I tell them I missed them when they are gone. I don't care if they enjoy my class. I care that they feel seen and their presence is acknowledged.

This doesn't change when we grow up. Most people I know, unfortunately, dislike their jobs and the number one complaint I hear is that they feel unappreciated or like they don't belong in that job. It isn't about phony "team-building." It's about genuine connections and feeling like contributions are valid.

As I have just moved to a new city, it is very easy for me to fall into the category of "not-belonging." My environment is new, but "going home" isn't about a physical place. On my trip down here, I stopped in my home town. That house used to be my safe place. That school used to feel like home. Now, they are just buildings. We make our home in places we feel belonging and I know I will eventually find where I belong here. I still have family that has always made me feel wanted. I have friends that, although not near me, show me I belong when they answer my texts or phone calls. We can all belong somewhere. If you are feeling unwanted or unseen, keep looking around that crowded room. You will find your home. You belong.