A Poem on Belonging

For those who know me well know that my passion is bringing people together. Finding common ground amidst our differences. Creating community out of unlikely places with all sorts of people. Connecting people with one another, for both pragmatic and relational reasons. But all with the goal of fostering community.

It is how I am wired. It’s how I view the world and how I make decisions that I do.

I often think questions like:
How can I make this world a more loving place? How can I connect people so that no one feels alone? How can I show that we have so much in common if we just dare to spend time together? 

How can I learn from those who are different from me? How can I let their stories shape and mold me? How can I be a perpetual student, one who seeks to learn and understand and love?

This is my heartbeat.

And then my friend sent me her most recent poem, and my heart said YES! THIS.
And so it’s my honor to share another poem by my dear friend/poet.
It’s titled Belong.

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My baby has stopped growing from lack of food
My brother kills as a means of belonging
My sister’s heart aches with confusion of her gender identity
My father lives in the shadows for fear of being sent back to his homeland
My mother takes from others to gain for herself
My grandfather drinks to numb his pain
My grandmother abuses the weak
My son is a thief
My daughter is a prostitute

I am all of these things because we are all of these things

My baby floods the world with wonder and joy
My brother gives half of his earnings to those in need
My sister kisses the cheeks of orphans
My father marches for justice
My mother is a warrior, strong and courageous
My grandfather builds wells for those who have suffered without clean water
My grandmother cradles the child breathing his last breath
My son volunteers in rural schools
My daughter heals the broken through medicine

I am all of these things because we are all of these things

My baby is the blade of grass piercing the soil
My brother is the rain bringing life to creation
My sister is the eagle feeding her baby chicks
My father is the mountain proclaiming its majesty
My mother is the dust from which we came
My grandfather is the blue sky
My grandmother a warm breeze
My son is the ant working tirelessly
My daughter a beautiful butterfly

I am all of these things because we are all of these things

Sit with the hurting
Feed the hungry
Breathe in the fresh air
Feel the soil beneath your feet
Close your eyes and picture a world with no borders
Let the intensity of the pain, the hurt, the shame, the fear, the brokenness lead us to the truth that we are one and we belong to one another

– SP

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Yes. We Belong To One Another.
So let’s lean in and not be afraid of one another. Together, we will change the world. <3

[Image: Moyan Brenn]