Dealing With November Woes
by the Honorable Thomas A. McKean - 11/20/24
tmckean@aol.com
When I attended the recent Vespers here at North UU, one of the things I said was that I really wanted to keep believing in the inherent good in humanity. What I didn't say (and probably should have said) is the reason I want (read: need) to do that is because with all that's happened to me, if I stop believing in it I will likely fall apart and that's why I keep believing in it.
Yet already, bad things are happening. People are walking around and protesting with signs hating on women and LBGT, more people are back to carrying concealed weapons, there is that whole "your body, my choice" thing happening - even to the point grade school boys are saying it to girls during recess. And leave us not forget the recent Nazi march in Columbus. Seeing all of this and more (with the worst likely yet to come), I admit my faith in humanity is beginning to fade.
So how do we, as Unitarian Universalists, deal with this? How do we deal with the uncertainty, the rage, and the petty revenge politics the President himself has told us to expect once he was elected? Because uncertainty, rage, and petty revenge politics all run contrary to our faith.
Well, here are three things that might help.
First, understand that we at the NUUC are a like-minded community.
Take advantage of that. It's really why the community is there. There is currently much fear and anxiety over the election results within NUUC. Parents fear for their kids, members fear for their friends, some of the members even fear for their own future. All of this is understandable. Please don't overlook what we have here - a prefabricated mutual support network, up and running and ready to go.
Guys, if ever we needed each other - that time is now.
It is true that we see each other every Sunday morning, but that doesn't mean we can't see each other outside the walls of the church. I have reached out to some of you over the years and we have become more than just fellow members of a congregation. We have become friends. I am with you other times during the week and I have no regrets. Your friendship means much to me.
So to pull a Morgan, "I would invite you" to once in a while seek out a member or two and invite them to lunch or dinner. Or maybe for coffee. Or to the house just to talk. Share your stories. Get to know each other. Enjoy each other's company. Become friends.
Those people sitting next to you during the service, the ones you talk to after, they are also Unitarian Universalists. They can't be all bad, right? Why, they might be even be upstanding law abiding citizens. There's a lot to choose from. We have an engineer or two, an interspiritual companion, a few music teachers, a few UU ministers (retired or otherwise), a social worker who specialized in AIDS and geriatrics, a Colonel, a Lieutenant Colonel, a mason, a librarian *and* master gardener, a well traveled and internationally recognized writer *and* disabilities advocate *and* singer-songwriter (who's won multiple awards for all three of those things), and even (would you believe it) a well published biochemist *and* pediatric rheumatologist *and* vertebrate paleontologist - who loves trains!
All of these and more, and they all have some amazing stories to share. Just of a spiritual journey, if nothing else. But as you can see, there is much else.
One way to get through what may be coming is by getting to know your fellow NUUC members better. I can tell you from personal experience they are very much worth getting to know beyond just Sunday mornings and I would love to better know even more of you.
Second, embrace the hope wherever you can find it.
As far as the elections go, Sarah McBride won her election and becomes the first openly trans woman in Congress. (I admit that has created some rather fascinating growing pains for this country. It will be interesting to see how they are resolved.) Fani Willis won again in Fulton County. Perhaps best of all, Mark "I'm a black Nazi" Robinson was defeated in North Carolina.
But hope can be found in places other than the ballot box. Many claim to find hope in their faith, or even in the lack thereof. You can also find hope in mindfulness, counseling, gratitude, meditation, and volunteering, to name a just a few. Once upon a time, I found more than enough hope in the act of public service. I would encourage you to consider looking into this as well if you are looking for hope.
These days I feel hope every time I step into the church and see that I am surrounded by goodness of all of you. And, as many of you already know, I also find hope in making music, in the pages of the comics - and most of all - in the gentle arms of my friends. That will never change.
Third, and this one really needs no mention, be kind.
Yes I know I have said this before, and yes you will no doubt see me say it again. Around the time of the pandemic or so, kindness became more important to me. Maybe because I finally figured out what it is. So I say this for me as much as I say it for you.
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