I spent last weekend co-facilitating a beautiful retreat for Rooted, a non-profit that supports people with a migratory background to find roots in a new home. It was a wonderful opportunity to help people who were (often involuntarily) uprooted fall in love with a new nature and landscape of the soul. Once again, I realized that deep belonging is crucial to feeling firmly anchored in life. A feeling of belonging to this place, in this time, in this body.
During the retreat, I also took the time to consider how strong my own roots are. I returned to The Netherlands a few years ago after searching for my roots elsewhere. I returned feeling more lost and uprooted than before, and I finally integrated the lesson that home is something to build, not necessarily found.
On Sunday, we went on a long walk through the forest to discuss the different dimensions of rootedness together. One concept struck me as especially true: our home is our embassy.
The moment we walk out of the door into the world, we inevitably encounter situations that are not within our control or influence. And we inevitably make compromises that are not fully aligned with our truth. Ideally, our home is a physical expression of our place in the world. Our embassy. A place of beauty and rest, a place where we belong.
Beauty ripples into all aspects of my well-being when I give my home attention, care, and love. In making my home my embassy, I actively work on my belonging, growing my roots where I am instead of expecting to find them elsewhere.
In Winter, our home is our lifeline. A place where we can let go and reconsider our life without compromise. Now, I invite you to consider your home. Do you belong there? Or have you neglected your embassy? And if you did, consider if you again can make it a physical expression of your place in the world. A place that is part of your roots, where you belong.
Published on by Sacha Post. This essay is part of the weekly letters. Explore more essays on winter in the archives.