On Valentine's day, I opened the service with a quote from a beautiful reflection from my colleague Barbara Merritt, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Worcester. The reflection is found in her book Amethyst Beach, and here is the full essay:
“Now I’m not one for ‘affirmations.’ Saying something doesn’t make it so. But recently a dear friend of mine read to me some affecting lines from an unknown author. They went something like this:
It’s time somebody told you that you are lovely, good and real; that your beauty can make hearts stand still. It’s time somebody told you how much they love and need you, how much your spirit helped set them free, how your eyes shine full of light. It’s time somebody told you. As these words were read, I found a very complex internal process going on within me. I was touched, unnerved, and a little sad that I hadn’t heard these words as a child. But mostly I became conscious of enormous resistance. Something in me was not ready to let these words
in. It could be that I was not quite ready to hear such positive feedback. Maybe it wasn’t yet the right time to receive love and affection. But apparently, at least one friend thought that now was a good time to attend to what is essential and life-giving. Often we are too busy, too distracted, to listen to what our loved ones have to
tell us. They offer all kinds of radical and startling opinions about our place in the divine scheme of things. Messages that I can almost hear include:
‘It’s time someone told you that with all your flaws and weaknesses, you are an extraordinary person, well-worth knowing. No one—especially not God or the people who love you—expects you to live without making
mistakes or stumbling occasionally. It’s time you looked at your own life with more kindness, gentleness, and mercy.’
‘It’s time someone told you that you are not on this earth to impress anyone, to dazzle us with your success, to conquer all obstacles with your competence, or to offer one brilliant solution after another. We are happy you are here with the rest of us struggling souls. We are all striving to be as faithful as we can be to the truth that we
understand. No more is required.’
‘It’s time someone told you that the work you do to increase your capacity to love and to pay attention is more important than any other activity. As you advance closer to what is ultimately true and
life-giving, you bless others.’
‘It’s time somebody told you how absolutely beautiful your laughter is. You bring joy into our world.’
Just possibly, messages of love and acceptance have always been circulating in our midst. The hard part is not seeking out these positive and creative affirmations that remind us that we are loved. The hard part is taking in the love. It’s time someone told us all that we are valued and infinitely worthwhile. And it’s time we believed it.”
Thank you Barbara, and blessings,
Edmund
I am rearranging my work week so that I can be more available to some outreach
activities. From now on, Monday will be my day off, and staff meetings will be on Tuesdays at 10:30. I will normally be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday mornings. Friday will continue to be set aside for sermonating.
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