Ibasho – 居場所 : Japanese for “a place to belong” or “a place to be yourself”
“Who are you, and what do you want?” At 20 years old, I found it hard to answer this question posed by an ever so thoughtful Uncle Iroh. Who was I? A girl, fresh out of college, working her first-ever full-time job in a field she wasn’t sure she really belonged in, who regularly battled the feeling that she didn’t add enough value to the world to justify her existence.
How is someone like this supposed to go about discovering purpose? That’s exactly what I set out to discover, hoping that in finding my “ibasho,” or my place to belong, I might also learn how to help other people do this.
Elizabeth Stambaugh has lived in the St. Louis area all her life. She believes stories are the connecting lines between us, helping us to see hope and truth in the loneliest of times. Elizabeth graduated from Liberty University with bachelor’s degrees in both merchandising and illustration, but her passion lies in learning from people and unearthing the glittering gems inside of everyone. When she’s not at work or home, you can usually find Elizabeth riding a bike or sitting in a coffee shop mulling over her ideas. If she had to describe her dream day in one word, it would be simply, “wonder”.
Ibasho Place 