“Right Here Waiting”: Finding the Tribe That’s Been Waiting for You All Along

"Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you."

— Richard Marx, Songwriter and Recording Artist

There’s a particular ache in the human soul—a yearning that creeps into quiet moments, asking, Where do I belong? 

For some, it manifests as a search for purpose. For others, it’s a hunger for connection. And often, it’s a sign that we haven’t yet found our tribe.

But what if your tribe is already out there? What if, as Richard Marx’s timeless ballad suggests, it’s right here waiting for you?

The Longing That Signals Something Deeper

The haunting beauty of Marx’s lyrics transcends romantic love. They echo the universal experience of longing—for understanding, kinship, and shared purpose.

Many people who feel lost or disconnected aren’t lacking direction so much as lacking the right people around them. In this light, Marx’s refrain becomes a quiet anthem of hope. It whispers: Your people are out there. Keep going. Don’t give up.

This inner pull—this ache—is not a weakness. It’s a compass.

Joseph Campbell: The Hero’s Journey to Belonging

Joseph Campbell, the sociologist who gave us the concept of The Hero’s Journey, believed that every individual embarks on a personal quest. While the journey appears to be external—slaying dragons, crossing thresholds—it is in fact deeply internal. At its core, it’s a search for identity and belonging.

Campbell described how the hero often begins in a world that doesn’t feel like home. Only through trials, transformation, and truth-seeking do they finally return—stronger, wiser, and surrounded by the people who get them. These people are the hero’s tribe.

So if you’re feeling like you’re still in the wilderness, take heart: you may just be in the middle of your journey. Your tribe might not be behind you. It might be waiting just over the next ridge.

Adam Curtis: The Loneliness of the Modern Age

British documentarian Adam Curtis has long argued that in modern society, we have been stripped of meaningful narratives and collective purpose. In his view, the machinery of politics and media has fractured our sense of togetherness, replacing tribes with algorithms and market segments.

In this climate, the search for a tribe becomes even more critical. As Curtis points out, the loneliness and confusion many of us feel are not personal failings—they are societal side effects. The yearning you feel is not shameful. It is deeply human. And it might be the most honest thing about you.

What Is a Tribe, Really?

Your tribe is not just people who agree with you. It’s those who see you. Who hold space for your story. Who reflect back your values, your humour, your pain—and don’t flinch. A tribe can be one person. Or a hundred. It’s less about numbers, more about resonance.

If you haven’t found your tribe yet, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It might mean:

• You’ve been in the wrong places.

• You’ve outgrown your old circles.

• Or you’ve been too busy surviving to start searching.

  
  

How to Cope With the Waiting

Finding your tribe can take time. Sometimes years. In the meantime, how do you live with integrity, strength, and purpose?

1. Become Your Own Tribe First Treat yourself with the compassion, curiosity, and courage you’d want from your people. When you show up authentically for yourself, you begin to attract others who resonate with your truth.

2. Seek Environments of Alignment Not every group is your tribe—but every attempt is a clue. Try classes, online forums, community groups, or creative circles. Be willing to fail forward. Sometimes what doesn’t fit teaches you what will.

3. Create What You Crave Can’t find your tribe? Start something. A reading group, a meet-up, a project. Your initiative may draw the very people you’ve been looking for.

4. Honour the Longing Don’t numb the ache. Let it teach you. The longing isn’t the enemy—it’s the invitation. As Richard Marx’s lyric implies, what you’re looking for is already looking for you.

5. Practice the Hero’s Patience Joseph Campbell’s hero doesn’t find their allies immediately. They arrive along the path, often when least expected. Trust that your path is unfolding. Stay open. Stay true.

Your Tribe Is Waiting

In the face of disconnection, the mythic journey, the Curtisian critique, and the quiet yearning in a pop ballad all converge on a single truth:

You are not alone in this search. There are others—thinking like you, feeling like you, waiting for someone like you to show up.

They may not know your name yet. But they will.

Because wherever you are, whatever you do, your tribe is right there— waiting for you.