Meet Slash, the black cat who made himself comfortable where ever he fit!
Most of us aren’t as flexible as this cat to just fit into any container. I am not sure we want to be either. Sometimes the wrong place is dangerous. I recall a friend whose cat used to sleep underneath the car for warmth. It was not the safest place! I guess Slash was comfortable here or he’d have moved!
Most of us have had the issue of trying to fit into groups. Whether it was at the Jr. High School level where fitting in with a group of kids was important or when as an adult entering into a new job. Groups give us support and help define us. We find teams to be part of as we develop throughout life.
Either way, it isn’t the easiest thing to slip right in. It takes time, effort, and practice to fit in with groups or even finding a group we want to be associated with on a regular basis. Whether it is a church where we can practice our faith or a school where we can learn our trade, we select based on our own personalities. What we can contribute in the form of knowledge, experience or monetarily may enter into our final choice.
When traveling, it is also wise to know where one is going. Walking into unknown areas of a new city should be met with caution. “Fitting in” means being able to communicate well and navigating comfortably.
When a couple gets married, one of the hardest things is fitting in with the spouses family. If the person you’ve married dislikes their own family, things could be even harder. This becomes evident when children are born. One wants the small child to have a healthy relationship with extended family so they feel needed and included. Fitting in goes on at every stage of life.
Teens trying to copy one another with hairdo’s and clothing are not new. Just look at old pictures of yourself along the way. The crazy hairdos and clothing styles may have looked cool back then, but don’t now. Fads carry us from childhood into young adulthood. Soon one realizes that trendy fashions don’t fit every person’s body or budget. Slowly one begins to dress in flattering clothes that fit. We learn to enjoy a style of music that we love even if others don’t like it. We make our friendships based on our own values, interactions, and needs.
We all have experienced not fitting into our clothes. Either we diet, figure out why we gained weight, or simply buy something new to wear. Everyone’s solution is different.
Fitting in means finding security and setting our own boundaries. Unlike Slash, most of us will find a more conventional place to rest and relax. It may be in the center of activity at the kitchen table where kids are doing homework and grandma is having a cup of coffee. It may be in an easy chair near the radio or TV; or even away from everyone else to find a quiet space to read a book.
Hope you are finding where you fit in for yourself. Start with making small changes. Find friends that allow you to be comfortable and accepted within the family, into society, or in a job. Finding a place to be content may not be like Slash!
“Delight in Living” and enjoy this beautiful weather!