“I-SOLATION” to “I-NTEGRITY”
The greatest need in our world that seems to be everywhere is the “need to belong,” to be with others who are like me in some way, preferably in all ways.

Everybody seems to want to belong –
whether it is gangs, or churches, or political groups, or
clubs, or families (biological or created), or
groups bonded by causes or ethnicity or
groups motivated by injustice or trauma—
the list could go on of how each of us tries to find
somewhere to “belong” – a group “like us” or
we go out and create a group demanding others
become “like us” in order to be “right.”

And yet . . . there are NO two people in exact alignment in
every area and, after some time, many often reach the
point of being disillusioned by someone or by the group
in general and, although they might not admit it,
they feel “i-solated” in the group and just make noises
of agreement in order to maintain their “belonging”
to that group.

So, while out waving banners, hanging flags, or posting on
social media the “message” of their group, many feel an
inner aloneness and may even push harder to appear to
belong to the group because they cling to that “belonging”
like a life raft and cannot let go or they will fall into the
abyss of being alone “outside” and there is NO WAY they
will do that—it appears that most of us will not do that,
we fear that more than almost anything!

So, the questions are hard to ask and even harder to answer . . .
• how do I be ME and
still be a part of the world I live in, comfortably
• how do I react when someone tells me
I am not acceptable
• how do I stay true to what I think is right, what I believe,
and not be offensive to others who do not agree with me
• how do I grow ME as my life gives me more experiences
and my perspective offers more insights and
still stay true to ME
• who am I – do I really know me or am I just a
combination of all the others I have met and
interacted with and should I be this combination,
is that the real ME

“I-solation” does not have to mean alone –
it just means “I” need to always be true to
who “I” am (in the present),
stay true to who “I” want to be
(in the future, reviewed and adjusted by experiences),
and hold in my heart the
Truth that “integrity” starts with “I”
(inner assessment lined up with outer actions:
the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished)

My choice: a feeling of I-solation from others or
knowing I am being ME living with I-ntegrity–
It would seem living with ME and working through
the answers to those hard questions would be
a good way to go . . . I think I will try it!
Simple — not easy!!!