Thoughtfulness, Social Justice, Chaplaincy and Staying Present – Life as a UU Pagan

Thoughtfulness, Social Justice, Chaplaincy and Staying Present – Life as a UU Pagan August 31, 2015

via Leanne J on Flickr.com
via Leanne J on Flickr.com

This coming Sunday’s sermon, in the UU congregation where I am a member, will be about justice – economic justice, immigration justice, the idea of a just harvest. Our senior minister will be joined in the pulpit by several other people, each speaking about immigration, borders, and fairness, from their particular experience.

Knowing this minister, I think we’ll be invited to take specific actions toward making things better for the migrant workers – many of them undocumented – who harvest the food we eat. There may be actions offered at various levels of commitment and risk. I bet we’ll be asked to step up with more courage than we imagine we have.

This is one of the things I deeply appreciate about Unitarian Universalists – the denomination’s serious commitment to social justice, the activism that actually gets things done by so many congregations, and even the good intentions of those congregations that are less active. The thoughtfulness and care that go into our discourse about difficult topics in the society in which we live.

Before that, on Saturday evening I’ll be celebrating the Moon with the coven of which I am a member. I’ll be listening to the voices of Clarity, Truth, Intuition, Wisdom, and Spirit. I’ll be calling the Light of the Goddess into the chakras of my body and honoring the Light of the God.

I keep trying to write about how these two disparate events go together for me, but the words won’t come – or what I mean is, what I write doesn’t seem to make sense.

 

The Witch stands by the window, laughing quietly at my discomfort.

You keep trying to be logical. But you are a feeling human, swayed constantly by waves of emotion no matter how much you imagine you are thinking rationally. Don’t talk so much about the facts. Talk about what you are feeling.”

 

So, okay.

As August comes to a close I am feeling a bunch of things.

I have all the excitement of a good student about it being Back to School time, because beginning on Monday I will be a Chaplain Resident at a major hospital, offering spiritual companionship, pastoral care, and loving support to patients, and in between times studying how I can do that more and more effectively – for them, for me, and for The Divine in whatever way That shows up.

I have some of the terror of a poor student about going Back to School, too; it’s been a decade since I held a fulltime job, but now I’m committed for a year of full-time plus a lot of overnights on call.

Nowadays I have pride and shame in almost equal measure.

I’m ashamed of the things I meant to do this summer that remain undone, some of them important (at least, to me) and a few of them essential (ditto). I’m ashamed of the deadlines I have let slip. I’m ashamed, too, of having acted hastily and hurt someone I care about. And of lacking a clear understanding of what to do about that.

I’m proud of the work I’ve accomplished this summer, and especially of the artwork I’ve created – a few paintings, a little sewing and crocheting, and a loom half threaded (so far). I’m proud, too, of my lack of judgmentalness about any of that. These days, creation seems to be more about ‘process’ than ‘product,’ so though some of my work is better than others, I’m happy with all of it.

I’m sad about the frequent reminders that this body is on the declining end of life, and I’m often frustrated at the things I can’t do anymore. Occasionally much more frustrated at the things I can still do, but can no longer do well.

I’m pleased about my growing ability to be present, and focused, in the moment, with less and less attachment to ‘what I meant to do’ or ‘what I had planned.’ Even less attachment to ‘what I had expected.’

I’m comforted by the amount of likeminded good fellowship I receive from my UU congregation, from my coven, and from my chaplaincy colleagues.

I’m enthralled by the continuing relationship I have with my familiar, a domestic shorthair feline just three years old this summer. Just now she is trying to remind me that it’s late, and I’m tired, and I said I would be asleep at a time a bit before this. How does she know it’s past my bedtime? I don’t know, any more than I know how she is able to tell, to within just a minute or two, when it’s five o’clock and time for evening catfood. It is sufficient that she does know, and demonstrates her impatience clearly. As she is doing now, having just taken careful aim and thrown exactly one pen off my desk.

And so, even though I have demonstrated no thesis here, it must be time to say goodnight.

 

The Witch reads over my shoulder, nodding her head occasionally. I wait while she turns the page. She puts her hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. Then she kisses the top of my head and disappears.

 

Good Night, and Blessed Be.


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