As a certain holiday has come to past, many are left with the feeling of wanting to belong. The idea of belonging is the idea that a person is not lonely, that they have a voice somewhere. Whether it be in a relationship, group of friends or simply a club, many students find the need to fit in somewhere.
Valentines Day not only highlights those in relationships, but also sheds light on those who are not. Some may say these people are lonely, but that is not the case. Valentines Day is not just about being loved or loving someone in a romantic way, but it is also about the love that comes from family, friends and God.
The Feather staff wants to encourage students to get rid of any feeling of loneliness and realize the many different parts in their life that they belong to. Everyone belongs somewhere, even if the feeling of loneliness seems to be overpowering everything else. The staff encourages students to not get caught up in the commercialized meaning of Valentines but to embrace the various places in life they are shown love.
Although some people may think they are lonely, they are not. Love can be found in a lot of places, such as in a youth group context. Youth group is not only a place to learn and praise God but also a time of fellowship with other believers. It is a place where people can come together to show and receive their love for God and others.
Whether it be a specific group of friends or the school community as whole, everyone belongs to some aspect of school. The theme of the school for the past two years has been “We Are One,” which holds true to everyone a part of FC. The FC community wants to have everyone be a part of their family by showing love and affection to the entire student body.
Student leadership also hosts small groups every month, where every junior high and high school student is placed in a group of people where they have the opportunity to be completely open. The purpose of these groups is to give students a place to connect with new people and receive love from new outlets. These small groups open up a new form of belonging to all students, giving them a place of release.
Joining clubs is also another place where students can find a place to belong. FC offers memberships to a variety of clubs, including California Scholastic Federation (CSF), Spanish Club and American Sign Language (ASL). In all of these clubs, students have the opportunity to be a part of something special. All the clubs offer different outlets of interest where students can discover where they fit in the most.
The Feather staff wants to emphasize that love can be found in other outlets. Different groups, clubs or activities offer students to be involved with something they enjoy and where they feel belonging. These pieces in their life are where they are shown love. Students may not realize it now, but along the way they will come to see that love can be shown in so many different ways, in so many different places.
Being lonely is a state of mind. If individuals just look hard enough, they will find aspects of their lives where loneliness does not come to mind. Belonging to something or someone is an aspect of life that everyone is a part of whether they realize it or not.
Even if students are not a part of a club or group they can still find love in God. He is always there with his arms wide open to show love to anyone who wants it. When students feel like they belong nowhere, they always have the option to belong to God. He is the definition of love; the reason we can love.
For more editorials, read the Jan. 16 article, EDITORIAL: Transforming the heart, individual objectives.
