“Is There A Place For Me Here?”

Years ago, I heard a fiery Pentecostal Preacher give a message on belonging, diversity, inclusion, and equity. He talked about the fish Peter, James, and John caught before they went follow Jesus. Scholars speculate there were several species of fish captured in the net given the climate and location of the waters. I was fascinated how this Preacher described and related the diversity of fish to the diversity of people’s mannerisms and behaviors. He went on to say oftentimes when diverse groups of people are brought into spaces, there is a piercing question all of them ask. The question is, “Is there a place for me here?”

Wherever you are at the time of reading this email, you may be wondering the same.

“Is there a place for me at this job?”

“Is there a place for me in this relationship?”

“Is there a place for me in this industry?”

“Is there a place for me in this family?”

“Is there a place for me in this friendship?”

Wherever you may find yourself wondering, know this: you belong. The fact that you are asking this question shows that you are giving expression to the timeless wonder within you. From your knowing that you belong, you can create – even curate – spaces for yourself where you are not only nurtured, but you provide nurturance for others.

The Power to Create

One of the features of the distressed mind is to keep us in a feedback loop of questioning that seeks solutions. But the solutions are found outside of the loop.

When you feel yourself in that loop, step into your ability to ask questions that help you exit the loop. My main question to help me exit is, “How long do I want to be here?” From there, solutions arise in the melodies, the silence, the courage, the stillness, the inhales and exhales between tears, the wind, and in rest.