Miniter's Musing: August Newsletter 2025

It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings. ~ Wendell Berry

It may seem that our democracy is unraveling around us, progress made is being picked apart, and kindness is beyond frayed. You may feel like the character in Wendell Berry’s poem-not knowing what to do, when faced with a society that seems to be combusting from within. You are not alone, my friend. There is a time to grieve the circumstances our country currently faces -families being torn apart and folks being rounded up and sent to inhumane places, jobs lost, health care and other life- saving programs being casually tossed aside, basic human rights and dignity being disregarded. This is not the behavior or actions of a healthy democracy. Did those of us who identify as progressive or liberal get too complacent in thinking this couldn’t happen? Did we assume that progress would always be a linear and upward trajectory? It’s mind-boggling and shocking to my poor senses, really, that these things could happen in America. But as Berry reminds us, “we have come to our real journey.”

We, who choose to be Unitarian Universalist must walk our talk. We must wrestle with our faith and what living our values really means in the context of this metaphorical dumpster fire. As the Enneagram 7 and Myers-Brigg ENFP that I am, ya’ll know I’m a cheerleader at heart, looking on the bright side when things get tough. So, if you’re feeling low, let me remind you that we can face this-we can join the real journey and do it together. It’s risky, it will take all of us, and some of us might need a break-that’s ok too. The journey before us asks us not to lose sight of our kindness and love, it will mean approaching these days with vulnerability. Berry’s poem about the real journey reminds me of The Fool’s journey in the Tarot. One of the most important and potential-revealing cards is called The Tower. A seemingly ominous image of a tower on fire with devastation on the ground, the Tower reminds us that sometimes things need to be shaken up, old systems must give way to new, the farmers burn the fields to make the soil rich again. The Tower reminds me that our faith is always evolving, and this can be true for our country. I’m not suggesting the hate and harm that people are experiencing is good-but rather this is the time for us to be bold, to speak truth to power, to model kindness (not niceness), to embody love in our interactions, and to forge a better way.

“The impeded stream is the one that sings.” Yes! You know, the Tarot card that comes after the challenging Tower is called The Star. The card features a naked feminine body under the night sky, the person is kneeling by a stream, one foot in the water and one foot on land. They are pouring water into the stream and the nearby ground from two jugs they are holding. The metaphor and lesson of The Star tells us what comes next on the journey: vulnerability, wisdom, generosity and abundance. If we look at Berry’s impeded stream as the one that sings, coupled with wisdom of The Star, I believe there’s a challenge and hopeful invitation to all-that when we come to the point of not knowing what or where to go, we begin by remembering our humanity, free from ego, and we face the day with love at the center. What are you being called to do? How will you let service be your prayer? And if you don’t know the answer, that’s ok. Join us at UUCO-because we will figure it out together.
With love,
Rev. Sarah