![\"\"](\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_niPwTW3rBbU\/Skoq-6BwGwI\/AAAAAAAACrg\/hEc_TVvB2Co\/s1600-h\/thumb%5B2%5D.JPG\")
<\/a><\/p>\nArriving in Los Angeles is the beginning of Jan\u2019s and my formal holiday.<\/div>\n
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The Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in Salt Lake served as something of a coda to my first year at the Providence church. And I am ruminating on all that happened. There were wonderful things. And some at least personal losses. <\/div>\n
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I supported the proposed draft revision of the Statement of Principles and Purposes, and after heated debate, during all of which I stood in line to make my pitch but before I could have my say a motion to call the question was passed and we voted. The motion to carry this draft forward for a year and then to vote it as a replacement failed by thirteen votes. Then my candidate for president of the Association lost. I knew Laurel\u2019s campaign wasn\u2019t going as well as I had hoped, but the loss was by a rather larger percentage than I thought could happen, given the strengths of my candidate, even if her campaign itself wasn\u2019t sparkling. Considering I had no concerns that Peter, should he win, would be anything but a fine president, I was surprised at how sad I was at the outcome\u2026<\/div>\n
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Of course, over the years, I\u2019ve won sometimes and I\u2019ve lost sometimes. And, honey, whatever they say, winning is better.<\/div>\n
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Fortunately I felt more wins than loses with my first year in Providence\u2019s pulpit. We love our Pawtucket home. And, hanging out here in LA, while I love the weather, oh I love the weather, the truth is I\u2019m also aware how much I\u2019m at least an Easterner, if not an actual full fledged New Englander, visiting more than \u201ccoming home.\u201d<\/div>\n
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And, then, there are the amazing good things going on with the sangha.<\/div>\n
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So much to be thankful for.<\/div>\n
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But I am toast.<\/div>\n
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I need to step away for a few days\u2026<\/div>\n
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Glad to be here in the Los Angeles basin, ready to lick my wounds a bit, hang out with Jan and her family a bit, then take off for a wild ride up the coast with my beloved \u2013 moving too fast to visit friends, but somehow that feels right, just Jan and me for a little\u2026<\/div>\n
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Of course with an occasional postcard to you all\u2026<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/tracker\/33904114-5792362104951389074?l=monkeymindonline.blogspot.com\")
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