  Spiritual
This week: Fitting In vs. Belonging Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Spiritual Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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We are a society (and world) obsessed with fitting in. We think by fitting in we'll finally belong, but are fitting in and belonging the same thing?
"Fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn't require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are." ~ Dr. Brené Brown, LMSW
Reading this passage from Brené Brown's Daring Greatly was an ah-ha moment for me. I highlighted it and wrote "This is the difference between traditional churches and churches like CSL" in the margin. Having been raised in a particularly strict and closed-minded Southern Baptist household, I know all about fitting in, but it wasn't until I started going to the Center for Spiritual Living (CSL) that I actually felt like I belonged.
Fitting in is selling out--it's betraying what you think, what you believe, and who you are. It's willingly handing over your power to someone else and allowing others to dictate how you live your life. This was never more clear to me than the day I realized my whole life and how I defined myself as a human being revolved around a book I'd never personally read in its entirety; I'd relied on others (parents, teachers, friends, preachers) to tell me what it said, and I took their word for it.
I still hold dear some of the traditional beliefs of my childhood (I happen to think Jesus was pretty cool and that the world would be a much better place if we all aspired to be more like Him), but I've consciously allowed many of the closed-minded teachings of my youth to fall by the wayside.
Each one of us is different. Our upbringings and backgrounds mold and shape us, turning us into the people we are today. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. No two of us are alike, and there will never be another you. Be proud of your divine, unique self. Be true to who you are and seek genuine belonging; don't settle for fitting in.
Peace and blessings.
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The following is in response to "Spiritual Newsletter (June 12, 2013)" :
Pita says, "Excellent newsletter. The quote grabbed my attention because I saw that movie last year. Dame Judi Dench plays the lead, it is such a sad and tragic movie. I'm glad your Grandma was able to recognize you and to know she hugged you. And I am glad you were there for her :) And I am more than a little shocked that this is the 5th leading cause of death." Thank you! I've added the movie to my queue and will watch it as soon as I have the time. Thank you so much for reading and responding. 
Prosperous Snow celebrating  says, "I cry each time I read about Alzheimer's disease because my mother suffered from it and I was her caregiver. I wrote this poem [below] about it as a blog entry." Yes, it's a difficult disease to accept because of its cruelty. I can't even begin to imagine the strength and courage it must have taken to be your mom's caregiver. God bless you for being so selfless; caring for a dying person is a full-time job. Thank you for submitting your poem. I've included it below. 
Quick-Quill  says, "I do have bio sheets on my characters, but it's in the details. As I wrote those questions (I added to my sheet) It makes me think harder. I am listening to a story about two men totally opposite. Yet they remain together on the Titianic as 'friends' odd as one is unscrupulous and the other very moral. Wonder how it will end. Murder on the Titanic." Ooh, I'll have to check it out! Please email me when it's done so I can share the link with the readers. Thank you! 
bonzo1964 says, "Hello Shannon. I've never lost anyone to Alzheimer's, but I myself had Schizophrenia. It robbed me of memories of the most precious variety. I didn't recognize myself in the mirror for many years. Even the birth of my children became muddled, and my memories of my wedding day to the love of my life. But they discovered a new drug several years ago...it's called Seroquel. Now, when I take it I am at peace, and remember the things that mean the world to me. God has been good to me, and if He can heal Schizophrenia, He can heal Alzheimer's. Life is precious even still. Your last visit with your Grandmother will live on in your mind and in the mind's of all you relate it to. God Bless." Aw, thank you, Bonnie. I am familiar with Seroquel (I'm a registered nurse), I've seen it work wonders in many patients, and I am so happy to hear that you're one of them. Peace and blessings to you and yours. You are an inspiration to us all. 
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Spiritual: July 10, 2013 Issue [#5764]
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