By Renee Shay, Harvesting Thought
–explore–
As far back as I can remember, fitting in posed challenges for me. Whether it was trying to get to know new neighbors when realizing the other neighbors had a head start or beginning new relationships on my first day of school, sizing up the room to decide who you are going to sit next to, who are you going to first speak to, those are big decisions every kindergartner navigates.
–challenge–
The need to belong is as old as life itself. It is about survival in the world. To animals in the wild, trying to figure out who to trust can be and is most often life or death decisions. How to trust when you do not know if someone is a friend or foe? To be eaten or to eat, we humans have evolved enough where our decisions are not so dramatic but nonetheless can be emotionally gut wrenching and socially challenging when faced with them.
–expand–
While some humans do have to make life and death survival decisions, the ability to eat or not based upon their connections, unfortunately still exists. Though many of us have those basic needs taken care of, then what? We still reach for connection. Assuming that is you who does not have worry about being hungry or safe, what is next, you still seek others for companionship right? How does your need to belong inform the decisions you make daily?
Harvesting Thought 