The Monks’ Cave was my hangout on weekends in college back in the sixties. The white basement walls were adorned with candles and quotes from Khalil Gibran. It was the first inroad of the “Age of Aquarius” to the Bitterroot Valley of Montana, as far as I knew. Man, here was a whole new epiphany of ideas that had been slowly seeping into my growing consciousness – an early version of Spirituality on Tap, with an emphasis on the tap. And these ideas came from someone with a non-European name. Could it be? This Lebanese guy had thought of these ideas before the 1960s. “Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup” is but one example that made it into many wedding vows back in the day.
I was reconsidering my lifetime partnership with the Catholic Church, and these new ideas came along. Words to live by from outside “The Church” as I knew it.
After some time of non-churching and non-thinking, other than how to stay out of a foxhole in Southeast Asia, I met small town South Carolina girl, Patricia, teaching in “hip” Atlanta. After getting to know a little more about our pre-60s religious experiences, she took me to a Unitarian-Universalist Church in the big city. As I approached the door to this church-in- the-round, without a cross over the door, I could still hear the voice of Sister Birgitta, “EXCOMMUNICATION!”. After that brief Post-Traumatic Catholic Syndrome symptom I shrugged my shoulders and said, “What the…!”
They were talking like Khalil Gibran of love, acceptance, tolerance, and letting go. Particularly, I sensed affirmation for free thinking. As my experience with Unitarian Universalism over the years has grown, I appreciate the blessings that it has brought…caring for justice for the people and protecting the earth. The encouragement of a rational search for meaning has been among the greatest blessings of this Fellowship. When I thanked someone for a job well done after a recent service about blessings, their response was with a sincere affirmation that I was appreciated for what I had done during my tenure as President of the UUFH Board. During our service that day, it was obvious that it was difficult for many to talk of blessings for fear of being too self-appreciative. It is a good thing that UUFH means freedom to bless and be blessed, to affirm the good in others and accept affirmation in the right spirit of humility and good intent.
One of the personal benefits of serving as President of the UUFH Board is that I have become more aware of the goodness that abounds in our members and friends. I have been reacquainted with our principles as they relate to our community, our state, our nation, and the world.
For the past year I have been ending my columns with a line or two from DESIDERATA. This is another piece that popped up in the sixties. No one has asked about this or commented on it. It may be that few read the article and fewer read to the end but, nevertheless, it packs a lot of meaning for me, just like “The Prophet” by Gibran.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence…it is still a beautiful world. Strive to be happy. (Found in Old St. Paul’s Church, Baltimore, MD, dated 1692)
Keith Dalbec, President