We all want to feel that we belong. It’s one of the greatest desires of the human experience. When we feel supported, surrounded by wonderful people, and part of something, we feel unstoppable. When we don’t, life can be a struggle and a challenge. I know for me, in a loving relationship, as a member of a family, as a footballer in a team, as a part of a business group, and as a part of friendship groups, there’s nothing better than knowing that I am part of ‘one of us’.
Last Sunday afternoon, I was helping set up before our Church service. I was taking some rubbish down, and out into the back alleyway where the rubbish bins were located. As I walked out the door, I was confronted with quite a disturbing sight. The big rubbish bin had been emptied and the rubbish strewn all over the ground. I looked at it with disgust and thought, I can’t leave it that way. So, I went back upstairs to put on some rubber gloves so I could go back down and put all the rubbish back into the bin.
This, by the way, is the same venue that we feed the homeless on a Wednesday night. Often, homeless people in the area go through the bins to see if they can find anything of value for them. When I went back out to start refilling the bin, there was another guy who was picking up rubbish and putting it into the bin. He looked at me and said, I saw the disgusted look on your face when you looked at the rubbish and thought I would help. I thanked him, and together we started putting rubbish back in the bin.
At one point, I introduced myself to him. What he then said to me, inspired this blog. He said, my name is Jai, and I’m ‘one of them‘. By ‘one of them’, he meant that he was homeless and not a valuable member of society. My partner Kate was with me at the time, and both of us immediately said to him, You are definitely ‘one of us’. We are all just doing the best we can. Thank you so much for helping.
Over the next 10 minutes or so, as Jai and I put the rubbish back into the bin, we had a nice conversation. He told me about his situation and his circumstances. I was able to go and get him some food, I invited him to come to the Church service, I told him about our community dinners on a Wednesday night, and I assured him that he was a valuable human, and absolutely ‘one of us’.
This experience really affected me. It made me think about all the people out there who don’t feel accepted, valued, or that they belong. My message is a simple one, and it is for you. No matter what you might be going through, no matter what conflict may be happening in your life, no matter what struggles you might be experiencing, you are absolutely valued, loved and, without a doubt, ‘one of us’.
It is my hope that you are inspired by this blog to go out and help every person you meet feel like they are also ‘one of us’. All it takes is a smile. It only requires a word of encouragement. Just an offer to help in a small way makes all the difference. One simple and single random act of kindness can change someone’s day. All these little things are so easy to do and help people feel like they are ‘one of us’.
My two podcasts this week will definitely help you feel you are ‘one of us’, and I hope will inspire you to help other people feel the same. I speak with Emily Chidiac in a podcast called, Celebrate every step, and Rand Selig in a podcast called, Redefining success. As you look in the mirror today, I ask that you look hard to see someone who is valued, someone who has unique gifts, someone who is loved, and someone who is definitely ‘one of us’.