The congregation’s theme of the month for June is Delight.
Delight? Seriously? … Yes. And, no.
When I first heard June’s theme, simultaneously I responded, Yay! and … You’ve gotta be kidding! – with all that’s going on…?
Both are true. Simultaneously.
What is delight?
(No dictionaries required.) De-light = of or from light
What are we made of? Light!
What do we live from? Light!
Who made us? Where are we going?
Yup, same old, same old. And never the same.
So why do we turn – must we turn – to delight?
The multiple crises of our times – climate, racism, homophobia, gun violence, war in Ukraine, attacks on democracy – need us to be awake, aware and engaged citizens.
To stay awake, aware and engaged, we need to be resilient.
To feel and respond to anger, fear, and grief, we need to be resilient.
We become resilient from love for life – for nature, for each other, for ourselves, for what we can create and become together.
Taking in Delight – breathing it into every cell of the body – creates neurological well-being, which helps us face and respond creatively to complex realities.
Where does delight find you?
Where do you expect to welcome delight?
Where do you look for delight?
Can you – will you – give yourself permission to see, feel, breathe it in?
I wrote this Musings from a gritty, neighborhood car repair and mini-mart, sitting in their single (swiveling) seat, in front of the cooler (filled with Coke products, bottled water, Reese’s peanut butter cups), next to shelves of Pringles and Pop Tarts. First time here. Oil change. Looking up, I see hand-made banners, drawn by a young child: Congrats Daddy – I Love You – Angelina. Celebrating 20 years of Service.
I can’t stop smiling, delight and gratitude spreading in all directions.
Delight is in the air. And on the walls.
In the faces and stories of the ones around us. Plants and animals.
May intentional delight and surprising delight be our shared practice – this month and beyond – so we may be of benefit to our world.
Rev. Mary
