The image of an adolescent lost and standing alone in an isolated forest, faced with a large barrier, blocking their way to the unwinding path of life, removes the spirit of self-confidence and chivalrous emotions. Instead, the person is presented with fear and loneliness. All it takes is a group of trusting hands to reach out to their soul, and guide them over the wall towards a strong sense of belonging with others, and into a more supportive and integrated society. The feeling of …show more content…
inclusion and acceptance within a community is essential for the construction of relationships and in creating a less hostile world for everyone.
Blackballing versus Belonging
“Great transformation and discovery of relationships become possible when belonging is sheltered and true.” Genuine interactions amongst people undoubtedly enhance and contribute to a sense of belonging. In order to experience belonging through a relationship, whether it be a marriage, friendship, or through a family environment, you must be willing to place your trust and belief within another human being or beings, to achieve a favourable outcome, and have the sensation of
feeling embraced and wanted. Conversely, when this is not the case, and you choose to be separated from people or reluctant in allowing your personality to be noticed by others, this results in an unstable lifestyle. Through this, your emotional health and well-being becomes disturbed, and a sense of dishonesty within your mind and heart becomes apparent. It is a proven fact, that when one purposely excludes themself from interactions within society, this contributes to an onset of depression, especially amongst youths. In Australia alone, it is understood that 21% of teenagers aged between 14-17 years of age, have depression, and report a high rate of suicidal thoughts and other health risk behaviour. The ideology of relationships is significantly important and essential in life. Without it, the majority of the population would be greatly hindered in even the simplest of tasks, and ultimately, would not survive.
Do you ever give much thought, as to whether you can provide a sense of belonging to others? Stephanie Dowrick, an English philosophical writer, once said, “Because most of us underestimate our own personal power and overestimate other people’s, we are likely to spend far more time worrying about being left out rather than whether and how we are including others.” It only takes the smallest step to make someone feel as though they are a part of a cultured environment. The easiest way to do this is simply by using your initiative and personally making a goal to involve someone or yourself in another’s life, whether it is by small conversation, a casual meeting in person, or a phone call. We often feel as though it takes a lot of effort and courage to make somebody feel as though they can relate to us. In reality, it is just the means of being thoughtful and using the small building blocks of life, to create a safe and friendly relationship, that can last a lifetime. In doing this, a sense of achievement is accomplished as you make others feel great, both inwardly and outwardly, and you gain self-esteem in being able to change lives. Essentially, you have the chance to teach others how to belong and help them to understand that it is an easy and stress-free process. This in turn, will show them that they play an equal part in society alongside yourself and others.
The Lock and Key – A Future to Foresee
Relationships are the key elements to our sense of belonging and life.
Without connections, we would struggle with our identity, and become oblivious to moral and social responsibilities within our communities. Through relationships, our behaviours are altered significantly, into more positive ways of living, and communication is developed easier and more frequently. Self-esteem is heightened amongst us and the body is transformed spiritually, as more profound connections are made between others. We are shaped with a sense of belonging, into better human beings that are able to express themselves in ways they could not before, and the presence of competition between us is ultimately eliminated. When we find a strong sense of connectedness with another, we both gain the ability to open up and illustrate our values and beliefs on an equal level. There is no judgement being passed, and a sense of self becomes clear. We are able to relate to a society, and know absolutely where we belong. We see the same faces, places, morals and beliefs, which develops a deep intimacy within the relationships we have with
others.
A sense of belonging, established through relationships, creates unforgettable experiences that enable us to learn and teach. It is a dynamic factor of life, and essential to maintain stable environments and cultures. In the animal kingdom, one must be assimilated into a population if they wish to survive, there is no tolerance for isolation. A species must socially interact with one another, and through this, a strong sense of belonging is established using relationships. Each animal requires a mate in order for the population to continue, and generation by generation, each individual learns and teaches the sole principles of life. As humans, we are naturally obligated to do the same. We are born, we live, have relationships, families, friends, boyfriends, husbands and children, become grandparents, and then we die. It is in between all of this that we learn from and teach others, about the necessity for belonging through strong relationships and experiences, and how easy it can be achieved. It is when we pass the torch on to the next generation, that we can feel as though we have done all we can to ensure the world continues to move in the way we want it to, and communicates the same beliefs as we did. It moves us all, through despair and love, through faith and hope, until we find our one true place, where we belong. It is the circle of life.