I used to find belonging by articulating the things I was against.
Building up walls of security, reinforced by hanging out with people who thought in similar patterns and drew alike conclusions to mine.
Thoughts of ‘the other’ scared me. People who did life differently threatened the structure I had built my foundation upon. Internally composing diatribes of response to memes that expressed a different perspective to mine.
It is easy to bond, to make friends based upon a negative. To be in solidarity together ‘against’ something.
It was safe, predictable and….small.
The fear and bitterness enroaching begins to wear.
Hopes of a different way, of relationship that isn’t contingent upon rigid views beats with increasing insistence.
‘Come‘.
Now broken, but whole, remade in a new casting.
The ‘other’ is now me. I am my enemy. We are united.
This post is a part of a link up for Five Minute Friday, a community of fellow writers who write for 5 minutes every Friday together on a prompt.
6 comments
I enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing…
(Visiting from FmF) 🙂
Thanks Olivia! Appreciate you stopping by 🙂
Hi, Emma, I love that you want to break out of small thoughts, to reshape your thinking and patterns. The awareness of who we are trying to be like because we hang out with them is half the battle. Living it out is the next. Thanks for stopping by my blog too. I really enjoy your perspective and how you view the world!
Thanks Christina! Living it is definitely the testing, difficult part, hey?! I’m loving connecting with you guys and I’m learning so much already 🙂
Emma, so glad you joined the Twitter party this week. Great post. I’m over in the 7 spot this week.
Thanks Tara! I’ll check your post out for sure 🙂 The Twitter party was heaps of fun- loved joining in!