June's Musings

Flourish Together with Purpose
In our recent “Question Box” service, one dear heart asked, “Is each person born with a purpose to fulfill?” This is an exciting query to consider. I think we all have potential and/or purpose to shape the life we are given. I believe this concept speaks to our Unitarian Universalist First Principle: All people have inherent dignity and worth. Is dignity and worth the same thing as purpose? I mean, can we have purpose simply because we exist? I think so. Some people have simple lives-it’s a success just to wake every morning. Others have extravagant lives that take them on big adventures. Some have complex careers while others find meaning in discovering what each new day brings. What I find most fascinating is that, though we may have our individual pursuits, we are all woven in a tapestry of interdependence. And this tapestry, the connections and impacts of others on our lives, is what truly enriches our experience on this planet. 
As Unitarian Universalists, we are big thinkers. We like to tease out nuance and consider the importance of our values as applied to the context and culture of the wider world. This may drive us to find or clarify our purpose. Or we may yet find ourselves conflicted about how our purpose serves ourselves and others. Maybe the pursuit of answering this question of purpose is one of the reasons we come together as a congregation? Life is given meaning by each of us in this community. I believe that if we hold our values close to our hearts, if we remain curious and bold, if we are gentle and courageous, we will find that we will indeed fulfill a great purpose together. Parker Palmer reminds us, “People who know that they are embedded in an eternal community are both freed and empowered to become who they were born to be.” In community at UUCO, we flourish together. We make meaning and find purpose through each encounter. Every experience with others and in the world shapes us and reveals to us who we are. Ultimately, I think the core purpose we are born to fulfill is to love one another and ourselves.