Where Do I Belong?

I’ve had the opportunity to reflect a great deal about what it means to be a part of something, what it means to belong.  I’ve come to the conclusion that, as is the case with so many other things, the answer is always in motion.

Consider this.  Not only do we change our allegiances many times throughout the course of our lives, many of us do so in short-term bursts.  We participate in temporary endeavors with others at work, for example, that require our loyalty and engagement over a short period of time.  In contrast, we participate in social organizations such as church for decades.  We can measures attachment to these groups in hours, days, months, even years.

I suppose it comes down to how much priority we place on bond and how intimate the commitment to that bond.  That is what determines what we do with our memberships. Each serves a purpose.  Each helps us define who we are relative to others and relative to our own changing self concept.  They help us answer the question:

Where do I belong?