The essential dilemma of my life is between my deep desire to belong and my suspicion of belonging.
-Jhumpa Lahiri (b. 1967)
No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.
–Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959)
Happiness, I think, has to come in the beginning, truly, from feeling a sense of well-being within yourself. To me it’s that incredible sense of belonging and peace within your own self and heart that really is joy.
–Goldie Hawn (b. 1945)
When I meet a new person, I am on the lookout for signs of what he or she is loyal to. It is a preliminary clue to the sense of belonging, and hence of his or her humanity.
–Haniel Long (1888 – 1956)
People inside of belonging systems are very threatened by those who are not within that group. They are threatened by anyone who has found their citizenship in places they cannot control.
–Richard Rohr (b. 1943)
Stories in families are colossally important. Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.
–Salman Rushdie (b. 1947)
In thinking about religion and society in the 21st century, we should broaden the conversation about faith from doctrinal debates to the larger question of how it might inspire us to strengthen the bonds of belonging that redeem us from our solitude, helping us to construct together a gracious and generous social order.
–Jonathan Sacks (1948 – 2020)
A sense of belonging is not physical. We can’t find it by changing where we live or what we do. We have to carry it within us.
–P. C. Cast (b. 1960)
There is a reason the word belonging has a synonym for want at its center; it is the human condition.
–Jodi Picoult (b. 1966)
You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.
–Brené Brown (b. 1965)
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
Such a powerful sharing of the very essence of this post. Belonging is something we humans desire, sometimes innately and inexplicably, bit can be something we subconsciously “lock” people out of because of difference. Something I have tried to work on within myself as I continue my journey through life is to get to know the wonderful differences each of us have within us.
Thank you for sharing my friend. ❤️
💝🧡 Hamish 🧡💝 ~ thanks for visiting!
-David
‘The essential dilemma of my life is between my deep desire to belong and my suspicion of belonging.’ -Jhumpa Lahiri (b. 1967) I sooooo get this David!
💚 Carol 💚 – me too 🙂
Loved them all especially words of Goldie and then of Robert Rohr. Excellent, you. 👏
💙 Selma 💙 – thanks!
-David
As you know that’s an unsolved question for me–where do I belong. I doubt I will ever figure it out. (K)
Is there a community of artists or poets that you feel particularly at home in?
🤍
David
I enjoy the community of WordPress, but I don’t see myself as really “belonging” to it. When asked to identify myself, there is no group I would name. New Yorker maybe comes closest to fitting comfortably.
Not American?
That’s a fraught identity these days.
Nice quotes. Lloyd Wright, Rushdie and Brene’ Brown.
🤍 Phil 🤍
We are always looking for connection – it is a basic measure of intelligence to be able to “connect the dots” for that humans are especially suited. We can make the connection between smoke and fire even from a distance so far as to not hear the crackle nor feel the heat and not even see the flames. And that ability keeps us alive and also drives us to band together… Although we no longer teach children the dangers of poison snakes and berries, we do teach them to see the differences and similarities – “one of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn’t belong…”
🤎 Muri 🤎 – you’re a wise woman.
Man, these are some heavy words… which I’m gonna hold on to for a long time.
❤ Monika ❤ – me too!
-David
Reblogged this on Solitary 4 Tomorrow – in Dialogue and commented:
our very own skeptic is getting a reputation for these delicious collections:
❤ Barbara ❤
David..you must feel you belong to this WordPress community/family….I do:)
🙂 Yes! I definitely do 🙂
🤗 David 🤗
Yes!! 😁😁👍👍 Sign me up! 🤣📖
❤ Ken ❤
The essential dilemma of my life is between my deep desire to belong and my suspicion of belonging.
-Jhumpa Lahiri (b. 1967)
👆👆👆
Sums me up in a nutshell David 😂😛
Should we establish the Torn Poets Society?
Don’t forget to include me in as a member when you do 😉 .And btw, is the link for DVerse still open?I had some other work last night,so I couldn’t submit yesterday..
I think so… But click on the link to check.
It’s still working.Yay! 😀