Dear Ones,
 
Last week in our Chalice Side Chat, our group of UUSB’er’s talked about the power of counting the things that matter in our lives by touching them. We did this by responding to a question in a reading from the Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo who said, “We need to count by touching, not by adding and subtracting.”
 
I think this is a powerful statement, especially in these times when we are unable to touch many of those whom we hold dear. I am also reminded of the tumultuous experiences caused by police violence against people of color, continued discrimination against people who identify as LGBTQ+, and fatalities from COVID-19. Science relies on numbers and statistics. But, if we reduce all this suffering simply into numbers, we miss touching and being touched by the power that these prejudices have on our humanity.
 
Simply put – the numbers help us understand the science and statistics on a macro-level, but we must also touch and be touched by the stories of the George Floyds and Charlie Howards of the world. If we only look at the big picture without zooming in, we lose touch with our humanity and stop holding up that which is right, valuable, and sacred in our lives.
 
So dear friends, as we move toward the end of spring, let us continue to allow ourselves to be touched by the stories of suffering and adversity in the world. Let us continue to be touched in ways that allow each of us to continue the important soul-work of decolonizing our hearts of the challenges and biases that have been conditioned into us, particularly regarding racism, sexism, and classism.
 
As I share these thoughts, I am feeling a bit saddened that next Tuesday, June 16 will be my last Chalice Side Chat for a couple of weeks, as I move into my modified summer schedule. I will be around next week for my regular hours, but then I will be off for the week of June 22 – 28 to attend the UU Minister’s Association Annual meeting and UUA General Assembly Online. I hope that the warm sunny days of late spring and early summer provide you with the space to touch that which is most important and alive in your life.
 
Love and Namasté,
 
Rev. Drew

[learn_press_profile]