“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.”
—Maya Angelou
Belonging is drenched with our concepts of home and self. We want to be affirmed for who we truly are. We long to be celebrated for being the person we were born to be. Brene Brown teaches that “true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world.” Therefore are belonging is proportional to our self-acceptance. This is the spiritual discipline of belonging.
Not all of us carry a sense of belonging with us – like a turtle carrying its shell-home on its back. How do we ease the comfort of those who are new in all of our circles – not just here at UUCM, but everywhere we go? And how do we ease our own minds when we are presented with situations where we are called to be present in places that feel nothing like home, where we may feel far from safe? This month we explore notions of belonging, how to ease our paths and the paths of those who travel with us, doing all we can to bring the best of our Beloved Community wherever we find ourselves. May our journeys and explorations uncover new ways to be brave and compassionate wherever we find ourselves.
In Faith and Invitation,
Reverend Scott Sammler-Michael