Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote those words, and they still ring true today; being enthusiastic about what’s in front of you makes it easier to set your mind to doing it — to doing it well and thoroughly. It seems that the human mind wants to […]
Between the first of November and the end of January, there are dozens of holidays and holy days, some major and some not, some with deep traditions and some that were created in the last century. None of them matters to everyone, and many of them matter a great deal to some. Some people might […]
Gratitude is a decision to focus on the best of a situation. When you make that choice, you see the best first. It doesn’t mean ignoring that bad things do happen; it is about putting them in perspective and not letting worry steal the moment.
Destruction and chaos are simpler, faster, than coordination and creation. It takes moments to tear something apart compared to what it takes to build it. One person can do a tremendous amount of damage. But, for every person intent on doing that kind of harm, there are hundreds preparing to mitigate it; to control the […]
“Religious liberalism affirms the moral obligation to direct one’s effort toward the establishment of a just and loving community.” ~ James Luther Adams While many UUs believe that there might be, even must be, life after death, the heaven we all commit to is here on Earth. The name we’ve been calling that heaven for […]
We are angry. With good reason, we are upset and hurt and angry. Anger can be an appropriate response to violence, to injustice, and to those peddling fear and bad information. Some people will tell you that anger is a negative emotion, but I don’t believe that. Anger is not bad. It is how we […]
We must not forget that, even while we aspire to accept and encourage every person who enters a UU space, whether online or in person, we are a covenantal religion; covenant means that responsibility and respect must go both ways. While we affirm the worth and dignity of every person, we do not need to […]
The following submission is printed without edits. Rev. KC Slack has shared the view of a nonbinary individual reacting to an article in the latest edition of UU World. We will not link directly to it, so that it does not gain standing on search engines or social media. It is on Page 30 of […]
In spite of what you might read in up-lifting memes and blogs, Happiness is not always just a thought away. Happiness and sadness are reactions. Some of us have a lot of trouble accessing Happiness moment to moment. Gratitude, though, is a choice. It is an option in how we choose to react to the […]
“Charity is commendable; everyone should be charitable. But justice aims to create a social order in which, if individuals choose not to be charitable, people still don’t go hungry, unschooled or sick without care. Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance.” ~ Bill Moyers Unitarian […]
Wearing a t-shirt or drinking from a mug with a flaming chalice on it is a very low-pressure way to invite questions and conversation about liberal religion.
