As a Unitarian Universalist I am most comfortable holding reverence for the seasons and cycles that bring us renewal of life in Spring. I am delighted by the daffodils and crocus emerging in the gardens and pathways surrounding the Parish House and the Sanctuary. I steal frequent glances at the redbud tree standing sentinel just beyond my office windows, for its branches seem to arch heavier with blossoms even as I'm watching...is it possible to see something growing right before my eyes? There is a smell in the air over the last few days (before the rain set in again) -- that green-blue-fresh-sunny-earthy-warm again smell that is like invisible poetry for the senses. I stand in sunlight, eyes closed, arms spread in welcome, and take deep, renewing breaths of this potent offering.
A concerned person remarked to me recently, on a particularly warm Sunday, that we enjoy these early springtime flirtations at our peril because they are indicative of the terrors of climate change to which we contribute, even in our most innocent and best-intentioned daily actions. I know that there is truth in these concerns. But there is also truth to be found in the sights, smells, and sounds that invite us to remember our incarnation as temporal and physical beings inhabiting a world of wonder.
It is our lot, as human beings, to dwell in the tension between wonder and terror, and it would be a foolish and wasteful life spent to dwell only in one side or the other. In this season of liberation, renewal, and reverence, guided by the wisdom of our own temporality, let us be ever mindful of our responsibilities to notice and to appreciate, with gratitude, the wonders that surround us every single day: surrender your attention to a growing thing, lift your face to the sun in silent prayer, and fill your lungs with poetry.
And, grounded in the knowledge that our actions as temporal beings can have long-yielding consequences, let us be ever mindful of our responsibilities to make a difference where and when we can make a difference: liberate yourself and another with your forgiveness, resurrect hope with your presence and your determination, and show reverence for all life by your bold and daily actions to reduce suffering and oppression in all their terrorizing forms.
May the blessings of Spring abound for you, in body, mind, heart, and spirit.
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