by Justine Greene
I am an only child, within a huge family. I come from lots yet have always felt like one.
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I’ve always felt different because I’ve chosen differently. Different paths, different adventures, different experiences.
Both my marriages created communities, belonging, but temporarily so.
The lone wolf descriptor has always seemed apropos but spending too much time alone I can start to believe that being alone is my destiny. But I am not alone.
Then along came Callanish, a community that I could exhale into.
A place that started as a job has become my soul’s beacon.
A place where I can be myself without worry of acceptance because I am accepted, without worry of love because I am loved, without worry of value because I am valued.
A place where I learned what real community is: acceptance and togetherness and individuality and service and difference all have their place.
A place where we rely on each other, where we ask for help, and where we love deeply.
After five years in this community, pangs of “Do I really belong?” or “Am I enough?” show up from time to time, but then all I must do is breathe, breathe into what I actually know.
What I know is that I belong here.
Justine Greene is our Wizard of Operations. Bringing her clarity of mind and warm heart to each day, Justine ensures flow in the day-to-day running of the organization.