As the snows of winter appear to be finally giving way to the inevitable spring, my mind turns to thoughts of the seeds that have lain dormant for the past few months, waiting only for the warmth of the sun to bring them to life and growth. Beneath the seemingly barren ice and snow that surrounds us, the flowers of spring are waiting to blossom when the time is right, their being dependent on not themselves alone, but on the cycle of life that surrounds them. In like manner, we find ourselves often buried beneath the icy indifference of a world at war with itself and a society intoxicated by the sense of “I” at the expense of the “We.”
“No man is an island,” wrote John Donne. And it’s clear to even the most novice of gardeners that a single daffodil does not a garden make. Only when we come together in all our glorious diversity of thought, opinion and experience do we bring forth any semblance of the beautiful potential that lies within our collective lives. Only in community can we truly display all the wondrous gifts that each of us brings to the altar of humanity.
Our UU Principles lay the foundation for the ways in which we, as Unitarian Universalists relate not only to one another, but to the world around us. They are far more than a list of nice sounding phrases that we sometimes recite during worship services. They, in fact, serve as a statement of who we, as individual Unitarian Universalists, aspire to be in order to live out our collective vision of the “Beloved Community.” On deeper reflection, we find that the Principles, taken seriously, provide a major “plumb line” by which to measure ourselves on a daily basis.
I affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Is there any person whom I have disrespected? Who have I failed to forgive or acceptance forgiveness from? Is there anyone whom I have treated with less than the dignity and respect that I would hope to be treated?
I affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.
Is there any person whom I have treated unfairly? Have I taken the time to be compassionate with every person I have encountered? Have I made an effort to broaden my concerns to those who may not be among those whom I consider my own family and friends… especially among those with whom I disagree?
I affirm and promote acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
Have I compassionately offered others the opportunity for growth, and have I truly accepted people, even those who are not like me and those who do not fit my idea of “okay”? Have I shown disrespect toward anyone else’s religious beliefs?
I affirm and promote a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
Is my life a reflection of a search for truth and meaning, or am I stuck in the “getting and having” place which deadens people? Can I move a little further from “getting and having” and a little closer to truth and meaning today? How will I do that today?
I affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
Have I listened to others, and tried to think the way they think, see their point of view? Have I encouraged consensus and connections so that democracy is an everyday fact of life, or have I tried to stack the deck in my own favor? Have I allowed the “tyranny of the majority” to silence anyone?
I affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. What have I done today to promote peace, understanding, and freedom throughout the world, and in my own corner of the world? Have I done anything to loosen the bonds of oppression in the lives of those “others” who have not shared in my own privilege?
I affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part.
How have I reduced the negative impact of my living on this planet? What could be done to restore the balance of nature and to make the world that our children will inherit better than the one I have received?
May we in the privacy of our own hearts meditate upon these words of our principles so that we might live them more fully and thus allow the sunshine of our own lives to brighten the way for those around us and enable them to blossom into the people we would have them to be. Only then will the spring time come for each and every one of us.
