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Apr 18, 2023Liked by Stephanie McCarthy

Good morning and thank you for yet another well written and Insightful post.

I enjoy reading your posts as they Open up my eyes to a more empathetic and Positive view of the world And the people in it.

And this post in that vein did not disappoint.

I have long associated the word belonging or to be long as a word of possession. As in which church do you belong to or You don't belong here.

I tend to interchange the word belong With the phrase being part of.

That way I feel as if I contribute rather than long to be. There's something About To belong to something. That reminds me Of compulsion . You're post like the knots in your yarn has Has added other meanings to the word belong for me to unravel

Again thanks for the article always a good read Cheers to You. Stephanie

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Thank you, my friend! I always appreciate your wisdom and perspectives. Your comments highlight the model's element of perceptions, and the significance of one's interpretations of the group and, as you've shown, belonging overall. I also notice aspects of determining one's value or worth, depending on whether they "belong" to the group.

I also like the idea of being a part of something. To me, it can indicate being a part of a larger purpose. I'm also a fan of considering 'community' and 'fellowship', which seems to minimize the power considerations you've highlighted.

I think you may also appreciate Issac Prilleltensky's work on mattering. He argues mattering is more vital than belonging, and occurs when we feel a sense that we are valued and we are making a valuable contribution. I'm planning on writing more about this and in the meantime, this podcast episode is a great overview! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyMIYbRqygk

Thanks again for adding your thoughts and feedback!

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