We are creatures of wishes and yearnings,
Of strivings and hopings that might never be.
But what really counts and what surely matters
Is how do we face all the troubles we see.

You can whine and complain; you can mumble “why me?”
Or you can grin and say just, “Why not me?”
And then handle the deal in a matter-of-fact way.

For the truth is—it’s part of the human condition,
And luck is a factor in all of our times;
All these upings and downings reveal what we’re made of;
Perhaps they can teach what maturity means?

So—we can choose to be happy,
Or choose to be sad.
But—my life has seen a lot more of the pluses,
So—I choose the path to be grateful—and glad.

Heartha Whitlow
August, 2008

On Sunday, May 22, after that really excellent RE program, an impromptu circle talk developed around one of the tables in the Fuller Fellowship Hall. It concerned the question of whether our national UU organization is allowing a merging of religion and state.

So--let's hear from you through this Musings column. Do you think this merging is really occurring? If so, how do you feel about it?

I find myself a little confused about what this amounts to specifically: for example, is it OK for our group to try to improve the status of public schools? In what other ways can we improve our society but still keep our religious views out of the equation?

My personal viewpoint is this: If someone has a job in the public sector, he should not impose his religious views to inform public policy or laws. I think our strength as a nation arises from our diversity. And--we must never allow the growth of any belief that threatens the rights or safety of any other group.

May we hear from you?

Heartha Whitlow

Said the young man, “I’m strong, I can conquer
Whatever my challenge might be.
But where do I start? What is needed?
Please say – what’s the best job for me?”

Said the old man, “Let’s ponder
The planet that we’re living on –
All the people, the birds, and the plant life
And the fishes and insects, and worms in the ground;
All the myriad life-forms that come, disappear --
The nourishing nuggets of shore-shaping sand;
They all need your care--
That’s your challenge,” he said.

“But I can’t,” said the young man;
That sounds like too much just for me.”
“Then,” said the old man,
“Let’s find something smaller--
Just the people this planet supports.
So – ponder their illness, their warring and hating,
Some beauty of spirit, their far-reaching intellect,
Curious mixtures of genius and dumbth;
The faiths they uphold, their denial
To others the rights for their own --
Their uncontrolled birthing, and lessening sources
Their searching for what life’s about.”

The young man, now humbled, began feeling blue.
“I am worthless, discouraged; it’s too much to do!”
“Oh, no, don’t discourage; keep trying,
Keep hoping and working, but never alone;
Then decide if you’re able, along with the rest
To face the big size of this ultimate test.

“But remember, my son; -- your measure as man, or as species
Is the size of the challenge you’ll dare.”

Heartha Whitlow
October 2003

In our February, 2011, newsletter we began a running dialogue called Discussing Wholeness, Transcendence, and God. This issue we have a contribution from Gary Cook called Angels. If you’d like to contribute anything that falls within these wide parameters, please contact Dave Sarra.

ANGELS

I’ve been thinking about angels. I’m not traditionally religious but I try to understand why people make up the stuff they do. Heaven is easy: who doesn’t want to reconnect with dead relatives? (A LOT, if people were honest.) Heaven gives appeal to and comfort from the fear of dying. Jews don’t have heaven, I recently learned.

Angels in one form or another seem to be present in all modern and ancient religions, and I can understand why. Oddly, even I believe in them. Maybe not the feathered singing kind or pixies (are fairy godmothers angels?), nor those wielding vengeful swords, but real live human people. They have an uncanny skill for perceiving distress or confusion in others and know how to give comfort or support. Several times in my life it has happened that an unknown person has appeared, efficiently helped or inspired me in one way or another and disappeared just as quickly. They all had a way of looking in my eyes with an instantly reassuring gaze that communicated their understanding of what was going on. Sometimes all they did was give me a transforming smile that lingered in my memory for days; other times they sought me out and talked with me, already equipped with spooky amounts of insights. It’s easy to attribute supernatural aspects and counterproductive to rationally over-analyze these wonderful events, so... I have angels. I don’t care how or why they do it, I just gratefully accept their gifts. Sometimes I wonder if I have ever played that role to others. A humanist believes that we potentially all are angels. I like that.

Gary Cook