“When old places and gatherings close, the heart does not have to close with it.”
You may not sit at the table you once knew.
But that doesn’t mean you are without a place.
Belonging can be rediscovered in surprising forms,
in a quiet morning with someone who loves you,
in a friend who says “come over,”
in a walk by the lake,
in a new ritual that feels more like freedom than loss.
When belonging shifts, it asks you to shift too.
To create, not cling.
To build, not beg.
To make room for the life that is becoming yours now.
Belonging is not a location,
it’s a light you learn
to carry in you.
Gentle Practice:
Choose one new ritual for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Let it be something small but meaningful.
-Kerri-Elizabeth-
Tomorrow, we look at the courage to make Christmas different without sadness sitting at a new table.
SONSHINE FOR YOU 
This is such a tender and heartwarming reflection. I love how it gently reminds us that belonging isn’t tied to a place or past tradition, but is something we carry within and can cultivate in new, meaningful ways. The imagery of quiet mornings, walks, and small rituals makes the idea deeply relatable and comforting. The “Gentle Practice” is a beautiful, practical invitation to transform loss into presence and create our own light. Truly inspiring and nurturing for the heart.
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I am fortunate that I have not experienced estrangement, Kerri. However, I have adopted new rituals through the years. It’s a reminder that life is ever-changing, and such a beautiful thing to embrace!
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It is not sad or wrong sitting at a new table. A lot of people who’ve changed beliefs, or who took a brave but unappreciated moral stand, or had to move far away, have been forced to move on from old relationships and forge new ones.
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Exactly.. so many reasons put us in new places.. one Christmas I was far away from family and I went to a raw foods restaurant in Arisona that planned Christmas for one table and everyone that wanted to come sat at that table , new friends, no one new one another but it was so fun and renewing.
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Thatb sounds like a great experience. It is a good idea.
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It was truly one of the best ones ever, every person came from different places and even countries, it was completely unexpected and fascinating to hear so many differences in one room but everyone connected as if they were one.
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It is amazing when people from different backgrounds get along and have a good time together
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