Little life and belonging
The word ‘belonging’ holds together the two fundamental aspects of life: being and longing, the Longing of our being and the Being of our longing. Belonging is deep; only in a superficial sense does it refer to our external attachment to people, places and things.
John O'Donohue • Eternal Echoes: Exploring Our Hunger To Belong
Pretentiousness repels but authenticity attracts, and vulnerability is the pathway to intimacy.
Rick Warren • The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?
define [be•long•ing] as: a feeling of deep relatedness and acceptance; a feeling of “I would rather be here than anywhere else.”
Radha Agrawal • Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life
If being ignored hollows us out, then being truly seen (not liked, not followed, not “engaged with”) but seen, can feel almost unbearable. Because while we claim to crave attention, many of us are silently terrified of what it might uncover. What if someone looks too closely and sees the neediness we have camouflaged as chill? The resentment we... See more
Vulnerability at its heart is the willingness to show up and be seen when you can’t control perception.[…]The one thing that we all have in common is… the paradox of vulnerability: that when I meet you, the very first thing I look for in you is vulnerability, and the very last thing I want to show you is my vulnerability.
Maria Popova • Aloneness, Belonging, and the Paradox of Vulnerability, in Love and Creative Work – The Marginalian
deep privilege of belonging, and the way belonging affects us, shapes us and breaks our heart at a fundamental level.
David Whyte • Courage
When people feel like they belong, they are able to do their best and be their best. When we work toward belonging, we’re working toward creating a space where collaboration and cooperation can flourish. This is true for every kind of group, big and small. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, business manager, community organizer, or leader of any... See more
Stanford Engineering Staff • Design to make a difference: How do we foster a culture of belonging?
People are afraid to be alone because they don’t belong to themselves. True belonging is not just about being a part of something but also having the courage to stand alone when you’re called to stand alone: when the joke’s not funny; when you don’t believe in something; when you have a different opinion; when you’re at family dinner and people are... See more
Maria Popova • Aloneness, Belonging, and the Paradox of Vulnerability, in Love and Creative Work – The Marginalian
At the heart of exile, we must finally encounter the longing we have hidden in our own hearts. Longing is an impulse, born out of what is missing from us which we ache to return to, even if we’ve never known it directly. It aches too, for our homecoming.