Belonging

//breakfast conversation with Seth (5)//

Seth: What day is it – am I going to school today?

Miska: Yes, it’s Tuesday.

Seth (smile breaking across his face): Tuesday?! Today is sharing day!

Me: What are you supposed to bring to share?

Seth: Something that begins with the letter “D”

Me (grinning): Well…you could bring…“D”addy.

Seth: No, you wouldn’t fit in my cubby.

Seth’s right, you know. I wouldn’t fit in his cubby.

However, there’s lots of places I do fit, places that are my places. I fit at that breakfast table each morning, sharing the breakfast I’ve made for my family. I fit on our worn, brown leather couch with my wife Miska, sitting close so we are sure to touch. I fit drinking coffee with Seth and playing Uno with Wyatt. I fit walking up and down the streets in my neighborhood, waving to neighbors and finding myself in all kinds of conversations. I fit with my spiritual community, All Souls, praying prayers and asking questions and hearing stories and hoping in the gospel. I fit with a few soul friends who know the real me – and who keep coming back for more. I fit around our dinner table with our family and friends where there is laughter and wine and where we are all telling our “high/low.”

For a guy who’s spent much of his life feeling like the proverbial square peg, it’s good to remember all the places where my heart is at home. In the years ahead, I’m looking forward to become more “me.” And to resting more fully into all these places (and the ones I’ve yet to discover) where I belong.

8 Replies to “Belonging”

  1. Hmmm . . . I thought I was the only square peg. From one square peg to another, Hi! It’s good to know that you are too, ’cause I sure like you lots! Actually my problem has always been that I refuse to be anything but square, but that’s a good thing, right? I too desire to be ‘me’ more everyday. The journey is fun.

  2. I’ve definitely got a friend-hole (although that sounds more like a not-nice swear word…) that fits you quite nicely and I’m so glad for it.

    Thank you. It was so good to be reminded of this amidst all the self-deprecating-question-asking-wanting-to-belong-dancing that I seem to do quite often.

  3. It’s a great feeling to fit, to belong. So many crave such gratification. It does us good to stop and reflect where we belong rather than where we do not fit. I’m glad that as a child of God, I belong in the Body of Christ. It is where I fit and where I find my “belonging.” As a one who at random suffers from “square peg syndrome” it’s nice to know I always have a place where I belong.

    PS – Read your blog courtesy of Blog Guild (not the first time I’ve read, but I think it’s the first I’ve commented)

  4. i’m stopping by from the blog guild. it feels good to be reminded that i do belong somewhere 🙂

  5. Winn, these words describe a man growing into himself and finding a place on this good earth.

    These lines from the poet David Whyte: “It doesn’t interest me if there is one god or many/I want to know if you belong or you feel abandoned” – that is the question, isn’t it? So very glad you’re answering it in the affirmative…

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