"You can sit with us"

I went to an all-girls catholic boarding school, and of course we had to go to mass multiple times a week. There was a specific Sunday we were singing in harmony; all of us. We all moved to the same side-to-side two step as we sang. I looked around from my pew and every single one of us, all 800 girls, were moving as one. With all the suffering I endured at that place (story for another time) that was the moment I felt what true unity felt like.

I also went to an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) and you will never feel more at home than in the middle of a swag surf. The energy is always on one thousand, no matter what is going on in your head or in your life, I personally believe some good swag surfin' can fix it.

I think it's human nature that we all want to sit with someone, with people. Like it or not we all want a place where we can join in and merge perfectly. Even a hermit, not unlike myself, still daydreams of my perfectly imperfect community. For some it's family, for some it's a weird community or club, for some sports, for some it's school and for the freaks of the world it's work. It's a beautiful feeling to belong, (every Disney song of belonging is currently on repeat in my head). I've never surfed but I have a feeling that it is one of the most magnificent senses of belonging we can ever experience; because in a few moments a person gets to feed of the energy of the ocean, on waves that have carried energy that span the seas, you ride that wave and for those few seconds, belong. I can only imagine how amazing it must be.

We all have this need, to be one in the plenty that makes one. But this mentality has an ugly underbelly. FERMATA... Have you ever stopped to consider what your motivation actually is for the things you do? Like the things you post or wear or watch. How often is it for you and how often is it to fit in? How often is it to create a seat for you at a table that would not notice your absence? How badly do you want to sit with them? And who do you think you are if they don't accept you? It's often true that we try so badly to find our home that we never believe we're good enough to be wanted enough to have a home or patient enough to keep looking; so we settle for who ever will give us a shaky stool as long as we get crumbs and the family name.

You have a home. Everyone does. There are places in life that we will have to settle for a "You can sit with us". But your home, your true home, your one made of the plenty will let you know "You belong with us".