Dear Folks,

First, a big thank you to everyone who helped with our summer gatherings; these coming-together moments helped us understand who we are as members of QUUF. We found out that many of us look at things from different perspectives and philosophies. And, of course, any institution has a values structure that serves as a scaffold on which all else hangs. And we found out that we look at some of our values with different glasses. Well, can we live with that?  Can we live in love with that? We probably had these various visions for years and it seems to me that we are better off when things come out in the light.

And here is the rub. We made a commitment to work things out together. When each of us signed the membership book at QUUF we did it in community. And if there is any religious act, well, that is it. The word “religion” means to bind oneself. Yes, to bind oneself together. It literally means to bind back. To bind back to the root to where our heart is. Relationships need work, love, and humor. And it is what we are called to do whether we want to or not. Pema Chodron states, “Let difficulty transform you. And it will. In my experience, we just need help in learning how not to run away.”

It can be disheartening to find out that some of our dear friends at QUUF are on different sides of an issue. We can respond with a lump of fear in our bodies and in our spirits. It feels too close to the divisions that we see nightly on the evening news or when some of us see our own families fighting over what separates rather than what unites. If we look at our differences, it can seem to be insurmountable. If we respond with a wider vision, fear melts away and we begin to see that there are things that hold us together. And that bond is tighter than any fear.

So where are we after we counted the last vote over our current controversy on whether two ALPs classes can or cannot be taught?  I actually hate up or down votes. It blurs over all the points that unite us. So, we have much to walk through and to work on this year. And that means continuing to dialogue, to gather on Sundays, to share food, to join book and education classes, to volunteer, to do community outreach, and to have fun and enjoy one another. And to do this together. There is so much shared history with all of us that certainly we can’t let our divisions swallow all that is good, tender, and heart-felt among us.

A sign of our good will has been shown this summer with our cottage gatherings, debates, and large voter turnout. In other words, we do care about one another. And we have passion. Boy, we have that in abundance. And, perhaps, we can enjoy the quirky part of each member of QUUF. And if you are not a bit quirky, you may want to examine that side of your personality. And how about the grand art of compromise? The root of the word means to come together to see promise. To see promise.

So maybe things are still a bit raw now. But perhaps in a bit of time, we can go for a walk, share some coffee or tea, talk about a book, and maybe even crack a joke with one another. We do that out of love and promise.