Lent

Meditation on Beauty

CZ

May these stories by Christopher Buice, “The Beauty Contest” and “The Beautiful Tiger, help us all to see past reflections and ideals to see real beauty.

Also, The closing hymn, blessing, and musical blessing at Sunday service on April 3, 2011. The hymn is “For The Beauty Of The Earth,” performed by the UU St. Pete Adult Choir and Handbell Ringers. Rev. Alec Craig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCI2uWTNG7I

Namaste,
Cricket

#UULent

Meditation on Dreams

CZ
Harlem
BY LANGSTON HUGHES
What happens to a dream deferred?
      Does it dry up
      like a raisin in the sun?
      Or fester like a sore—
      And then run?
      Does it stink like rotten meat?
      Or crust and sugar over—
      like a syrupy sweet?
      Maybe it just sags
      like a heavy load.
      Or does it explode?
Langston Hughes, “Harlem” from Collected Poems. Copyright © 1994 by The Estate of Langston Hughes. Reprinted with the permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated.
Source: Selected Poems of Langston Hughes (Random House Inc., 1990)

The Dream we haven’t Dared to Dream by Dan Pallotta

May listening to the podcast from TED2016 and meditating on the poem by Langston Hughes help you focus on what it means to dream, what your dreams are, what our dreams are, and what dreams you have left behind.

Namaste,
Cricket

#UULENT

Meditation on Ally

CZ

In November of 2013, Jamie Utt wrote an article for Everyday Feminism called “So You Call Yourself an Ally: 10 Things All ‘Allies’ Need to Know” as an affirmative response to Mia Mckenzie’s September 2013 article on BGD called “No More ‘Allies'”. Both articles are reviews of the word ally and what it means in out culture today.

Here is the definition according to dictionary.com:

verb (used with object), allied, allying.
1. to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usuallyfollowed by with or to):

2. to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblanceor friendship.
verb (used without object), allied, allying.
3. to enter into an alliance; join; unite.
noun, plural allies.
4. a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others forsome common cause or purpose:
5. Biology. a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionaryrelationship to another, often as a member of the same family:

6. a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.
I hope that these will help us all work out what it means to be an ally.
Namaste,
Cricket
#UULent
PS: I really like this song by Rev. Meg Barnhouse and I think it speaks to this as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MM8yOS-btE

Meditation on Engagement

CZ

Definition of Engagement according to dictionary.com:

noun
1. the act of engaging or the state of being engaged.
2. an appointment or arrangement:
3. betrothal:
4. a pledge; an obligation or agreement:
5. employment, or a period or post of employment, especially in theperforming arts:
6. an encounter, conflict, or battle:
7. Mechanics. the act or state of interlocking.
This TEDTalk from Dave Meslin is titled “The Antidote to Apathy”. Here is a time for all ages by Maryah Converse.
May focusing on the definition of engagement, listening to the TEDTalk, and reading the time for all ages help us all to zoom in on what we need to do in our lives and how we can engage in the world around us.
Namaste,
Cricket
#UULent