Skip to main content

Belonging

I've never felt like I 
fit in...anywhere. 
Not completely,
anywhere... 

 Almost-fitting-in,
that's my thing. 
Outside the group, 
or on the periphery,
the outskirts, but close by.

 Nonconformist.
Quirky.
Different.
Weird.
Anomaly.

 There are moments
when I want to
fit in.
To be the same,
not different.

 Outliers 
are outside-
solitary
independent 
alone.

 Often
they are...
we are...
I am... 
alone.

 I wonder
does everyone 
feel like this?
I wonder
does everyone
yearn to belong?

 WAIT.

 I don't want to fit in.
I want to belong.
Everyone
wants
to belong.

 I do belong. 
I belong to my family,
I belong to my friends,
I belong to my students,
I belong to my words.

Belonging is what I want.
I don't want to fit-in, 
like a cardboard puzzle piece.
I want to belong, 
and I do. 

 These thoughts have been rolling around in my brain for a long time. The difference between belonging and fitting in. I'm single with no kids. It's hard to "fit-in". I've never felt like I ever really fit-in anywhere and it hit me recently that I don't want to fit-in, I want to belong. When I start feeling the need to fit-in, I realize it's my insecurity telling me something is wrong. That's brought me comfort. So has this quote, 

I'm grateful that I do belong to the people in my life. They love me for who I am and that's so much better than fitting in!


Thank you to the Two Writing Teachers for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it.
Join us at Two Writing Teachers.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

  1. Jennifer LaffinSeptember 13, 2016 at 5:48 AM

    Wise words, friend! I think everyone longs for the same thing which makes me wonder, does anyone actually 'fit in'? Have a great week. Miss you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy WarntzSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:03 AM

    Oh my, I think you have read my mind. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I've connected in so many ways and your quote at the end has been echoing in my mind recently!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris MargocsSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:12 AM

    I love the thought process you present between belonging and fitting in. I'm having a moment of not "fitting in", too, with my son's recent homecoming nomination--we aren't quite the in-crowd. I will have to ponder about my own "belonging" and find comfort there!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Margaret SimonSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:44 AM

    Yes, you do belong. And you belong right here in this blogging/ SOL community. I always look forward to reading your blog. I find comfort and belonging here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lisa KeelerSeptember 13, 2016 at 8:09 AM

    Oh my gosh- thinking about the difference between those two words- I'd never done that before. I love your brave, insightful slice today.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2016 at 8:25 AM

    Wow! Glad I clicked on your post. There's lots here to ponder and reflect upon. Especially the quote from T. Roosevelt. Thank you for your honest sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. RamonaSeptember 13, 2016 at 8:46 AM

    You left off one of your very important belongs: " I belong to my blogging friends." Your post brings smiles and sunshine and words for pondering. Thanks for writing about belonging today. Love this!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Leigh Anne EckSeptember 13, 2016 at 12:23 PM

    There truly is a difference between fitting in and belonging and I think this is a lesson that even my students need to learn and understand. God doesn't create with molds. You have been very reflective today...as always!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Book MamaSeptember 13, 2016 at 5:13 PM

    That quote is great! And I like the comparison between fitting in and belonging... As an Army brat, I realized that I never fit in one group, but I was often the bridge between groups. I still feel like I have something in common with everyone, and when I feel a little left out (which I've felt a lot in the past two weeks as my three kids are in their new school after we moved across the country and I'm still making friends myself) I try and focus on the positive. Hope you go to sleep tonight feeling full of friends!

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:35 PM

    Hmm, I really "got" this slice! I think my constant struggle to fit in is really to belong- I like the way you explained the differences.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2016 at 7:20 PM

    Of COURSE we love you for who you are! You are my first blog commenter/friend and I love you for NOT fitting in! Well...you DO fit in to the GREAT WRITERS club! Smiles! (Jennifer Sniadecki)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Diane AndersonSeptember 13, 2016 at 7:33 PM

    Thanks for a reflection so many of us can identify with. Belonging is way better than fitting in.

    ReplyDelete
  13. writekimwriteSeptember 13, 2016 at 8:46 PM

    I do understand! Add 15 or so more years and here I am! :) FINALLY I have come to "get"that all God's promises are true for me, too no matter what my life circumstances are like. Looking up...to Jesus and the way God uniquely gifts "His kids" to contribute to His work as part of His family...brings unshakeable belonging!Blessings on your journey Michelle!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. JenniferMSeptember 13, 2016 at 9:15 PM

    I love the shift from fitting-in to belonging -- they sound the same, and yet they are so different. Like you, I have always struggled with both, but I too have places where I now belong. You are not alone!

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousSeptember 13, 2016 at 11:32 PM

    Love. Your words resonated with mt. The shift from fitting in to belonging. Love.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Please share your thoughts. I love comments!

Popular posts from this blog

Here I Am

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I've been thinking for the past couple of days about this post...but I can't think of anything to write. Frozen in my failure, I want to quit, but I push through and show up here...even though it seems pointless. Who wants to read a blog post about nothing?  I begin to panic a bit...Have I "lost it"? My passion for blogging? My ability to blog? Why can't I think of something clever? What do I have to say that anyone will want to read? (By the way, I'd have all of these answers if it was you asking the questions!) Should I quit? Give up? Accept defeat? NO.  Instead, I show up.  Instead, I remember the words I said yesterday to my seventh-graders,  "Show up. It gets easier." Instead, I write and show grace to myself. Instead, I remember that blogging is a muscle that I haven't stretched in a while and I need to warm up, I need to take some deep breaths. Here I am. Showing up to the page. I'...
17 comments
Read more

Someday...

Thank you to Stacey, Betsy, Dana, Tara, Beth, Anna, Kathleen & Deb for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it. Join us at Two Writing Teachers . Do you have dreams? Kids are good at dreaming. I find many adults struggle with it. Speaking for myself, I get so caught up in the everyday drudgery of life, that dreams get nudged aside until they disappear.  It's important to have dreams. I've been writing about my dreams in my notebook and so I thought I'd share my dreams here... 1. Writing a book.  While I'd love to get a book published, my dream is to write a book...to complete the act of writing it.  I've started on this dream and it's hard and challenging and exciting and amazing.  2. Living at the beach.    I love the water, the waves, the ocean smell, the seafood, the sand...all of it! The Outer Banks is my favorite place in the...
23 comments
Read more

Chasing My Dream

I'm doing it. I'm chasing my dream. I've always wanted to run writing retreats and workshops for people, but I've always been too scared to do anything about it...until now. I don't know what's changed...maybe I've changed. I'm not allowing the fear to stop me anymore. I've started Selah Writing Retreats.  The past couple of weeks I've been getting the business end in order. I thought I would hate that...I don't. It's scary, but I am surprising myself with how efficient I am. Yesterday I went to a bank to set up a bank account. The woman I met with was kind and helpful and so enthusiastic about my dream. My website is set up. I've done lots of work on it. I hope you stop by and let me know what you think. It's  selahwritingretreats.com . Balancing creative with business has been challenging but fun. Creating the website, getting a federal tax id, making business cards, planning dates... My favorite voxer group is called Butt Ki...
21 comments
Read more