Your Tribe

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Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~ Jane Howard

I have discovered that in the Zen world, there is a lot of talk about finding your tribe.  I like to think of a tribe as a group of family and friends that fit together perfectly.  Those magical connections which open up and warm your heart.  Connections that make you feel like you all belong.  Where everyone is accepted as they are. Those peeps you can giggle, laugh, and cry with.  Where you can share your deepest secrets and your craziest of dreams. 

We all need a tribe.  We need those relationships and connections for a host of reasons.  Not only do we give our love, appreciation, support, guidance, and assistance to those in our tribe, but we also receive all of these things.  We are not alone and don’t have to go through it alone. We can be a pillar of strength for those in our tribe or lean on their pillar when needed.

One of the best things about our tribe is that some of these connections are on autopilot.  We can be separated for years, even decades, yet when we reconnect, it is like we just saw them yesterday.  We pick right back up without losing a beat.

One of my dear uncles and cousins, whom I had not seen for many years, recently visited.  Sure enough, it was just like we were back in Colorado on a weekend ski trip!  It reminded us of a special connection that will never be broken – it only needs to be refreshed more often!

It’s okay to have a mixture of different tribes, too.  I am lucky to have a close family who are my primary tribe.  We experience so much of the world together.  We help, support, love, and, most importantly, play and laugh with each other. I would be lost without them all. 

I also have various groups of friends that make up other tribes for me. Close friends whom I can have a relaxed meal with, share our deepest thoughts, or golf with!  All of these connections I treasure.

We need to appreciate the value of our relationships.  They are what make us more engaged and present in life. We can ask for support and guidance – or give it freely.  We become more accessible to others within our tribe.  We trust them.  Our tribe makes us feel loved and secure. 

Often, we get exhausted by the rigors of daily life. When we can slow down, be still for a few moments, and remember what’s important, our tribe comes to mind.  Keep the connections a priority – for them and you!  Draw strength from your tribe. 

We are very fortunate when we find those special people of our tribe.  They provide a perfect combination of love, support, and the help we sometimes need to grow. They are our companions to travel through life with, learning and flourishing all along the way.  Some members of our tribe are only close for a while but then fade away.  Remember that they came into your life when you both needed each other.  Your time together may be just memories now, but undoubtedly, the experiences with them provided you both a necessary ingredient to who and where you are today.  Cherish those past members of your tribe as well.

Not everyone will make the cut for your tribe.  As we all know, there are some folks we just don’t gel with, which is perfectly fine.  We are all unique and navigate our lives differently.  We can still respect, honor, and love those in and around our world, but that doesn’t mean we have to ‘like’ them all!  Nor do we have to include them in our tribe.

Members of our tribe surely share our similarities.  But also show us differences that allow us to make our own choices. The differences are not judged in our tribes but accepted without needing us or others to change. This is the crucial beauty of our tribe!

Be accessible for your tribe.  Take special care to nurture those relationships. Give and take from your tribe.  Share with them. Love them. Honor them.  Hold them close to your heart.

Who is in your tribe?

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