Ah, a classic group photo.
High school hallways are filled with them. Football teams, glee clubs, the class of ‘97. This is where you’ll find them—framed under glass in a hallway display case that perpetually needs a thorough dusting. Preserved for posterity, for future generations to reflect upon people who “were” if only to view their image and say, “my, what a nice smile she had,“ or “he looks like my cousin Jeremy’s son,“ or more directly, “she was the best player our league had ever seen.”
We as humans like to capture the moment and revisit the stories and glories of the past. We like to form teams, to be in clubs with others who have common interests and objectives. But there’s this one thing that seems to happen despite all efforts to do otherwise. Exclusion happens.
See the slender pinkish one in the upper left corner in this group shot? This one wants to belong. This one wants in.
What the members of the Saturday Succulent Society all have in common is that they value uniqueness and diversity. That and they have a distinct ability to retain water as if they’ve overindulged in too many salty snacks while binge-watching Netflix, but I digress.
Who wants to be in your group? Who might be on the fringe, hoping to be invited or perhaps desperately desiring to form a connection? Maybe they’ve yet to finesse the fine art of “belonging” and just need someone who’s got one tiny relate-able thing in common to extend a little grace and say, hey, join in. There’s room for one more!
Well, just maybe.
The Daily Cuppa Jo 