Walking into Compassion
By Melissa A.
Walking and talking with someone can be a special experience. There is a pace of movement, a regular breathing, an acceptance of each step, a slowing of time, a closeness to nature. Walking can be a meditation, starting off with worried thoughts, and ending up with more relaxing thoughts that mysteriously bubble up along the way.
Distanced and masked, a group of NUUC women started walking together during Covid. The trees and sky and water welcomed us.
As Unitarian Universalists, our lodestar is inclusion and tolerance of different points of view. Yes, we try to do this. But it isn’t always easy. And it hasn’t been easy during COVID, when we have experienced massive denial regarding the importance of masking and getting vaccinated, differing views about who won the election, and a sense of impending loss of our democracy. These events are still hard to grasp.
Over and over, when we were walking, we found ourselves expressing our angst as we watched this all play out with family and friends. Someone would say, “I can’t believe that my friend doesn’t believe in vaccinating.” Or, “My brother believes the election was a fraud.” Or, “I don’t know how I am going to continue trying to communicate with my family.”
As we walked, we grappled with questions. Why did some folks no longer trust the institutions of government? Why were some people especially vulnerable to messages on social media? Why was there so much hate? We realized that many folks in the United States, especially in the rust belt, have been in deepening economic trouble for quite a while. Regarding vaccinations, we agreed that understanding the science of public health is very important, but we also wanted to accept that some people are not comfortable with getting vaccinated.
Mostly, we wanted to love and not hate. We challenged ourselves to maintain a loving attitude with our families and friends. We wanted to enable situations to be the best they could be. I learned that I could depend on NUUC friends to probe our way toward compassion. This is why I love our beloved Northlake Unitarian Universalist church.
Women’s Group Theatre Outings
The Northlake Women’s Group has chosen three Saturday outings at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Everyone welcome. You can buy whatever seats to whatever play(s) you chose. Either go to seattlerep.org, or phone 206-443-2222.
If you want good seats, probably best to buy tickets soon. Ask for the senior, student, or educator discounts as appropriate.
Transportation and lunch will be organized when those going have self-identified by name and event date(s).
If you plan to join us, please let us know in time to organize ourselves. Contact event coordinator: Melissa A.
Here are the plays/dates chosen – Saturday matinees curtain time is 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 26 | Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick (spun from Shakespeare’s Richard III)
Saturday, April 23, 2022 | Ibsen’s Ghosts (a new translation by Perloff)
Saturday, June 18, Taylor | and Oberacker’s Bruce (a musical adaptation of Jaws)