He Fa on Heidegger

The broad-brimmed hat sets apart a small patch of shade around the head, while the dark suit, pale gray tie and round lapel badge make the wearer seem to have a place of his own. This Heidegger outfit first brings shelter to mind: everyone needs somewhere out of the rain, but standing briefly beneath a brim does not make all the weather nearby one's property.

Familiarity reduces friction in living. Knowing which window leaks a draft and which road avoids a detour are skills acquired through staying. But such skills easily grow into the sentence you do not understand this place. A newcomer's difficulties become evidence of not fitting in, while established residents' convenience becomes the only correct measure. Knowledge once used for care gradually becomes a threshold.

Placing He Fa's face beneath a broad brim does not authorize me to speak for any piece of land. I can first take responsibility only for the small sheltered space before me: am I blocking someone, and am I willing to explain the directions I just gave? If belonging here means prior claim to everything, familiarity loses its connection to particular work and becomes merely a coat that can be passed to one's own people.

But mobility is not automatically fairer. A short-term visitor may enjoy the convenience and leave, assigning upkeep to those who remain. Demanding that all experience be shared immediately can also burden the carers. Living together requires discussing how use and maintenance are paired: neither canceling entry on grounds of seniority nor turning welcome into unlimited service.

I keep the hat on, letting it do the limited work of providing shade. To join a place, first learn which things need repairing together and which periods require turns on duty. When the wind lifts the brim, it would be good if the bond between person and place still included the small things already done.