UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

                                            CONGREGATION

Three short stories:

 

Brett Leveridge was standing on the subway.

A guy comes walking down the platform,

stopping in front of each passenger and delivering a quiet verdict:

"You're in. You're out. You, you can stay. You--gotta go."

Most people ignored the guy.

Brett found himself, against his will,

hoping the guy would give him the thumbs up,

and when the guy does, it's thrilling in a very small way:

a tiny kindness from a stranger.

Brett felt a small kind of euphoria

            In his mind he knew he had no reason to feel good.

In his heart, Brett felt happy.¹

 

//

 

Hug it Out says Juan Mann!

            He moved back to his hometown in Australia

Two years ago to find that his

friends and family had moved away.

"I was the only person I knew in my own hometown," he says.

So I wanted to get out there and do something that spread

a little bit of cheer and cheered me up,

and this was the first thing that really came to mind."

 

What’s the “this” that Juan is referring to?

 

The first time [Juan] stood in public with his "Free Hugs" sign,

[he] says it took an agonizing 15 minutes to receive his first hug.

"This one lady came up and gave me a hug and it was really, really worth it,"

Juan says. From that first hug a campaign was born!

Thanks to a video on the website YouTube,

Juan's movement is spreading worldwide—he is even organizing a global hug day!

 

So do people think he's crazy?

"All the time," Juan says.

"People tend to be a bit wary of strange men

  in velvet coats walking around with giant signs.²

 

//

 

Heather Smith was an audience member at the

Oprah Winfrey Show.

            Thirteen years ago she was brutally attacked and learned

First hand of terror and of survival.

She traveled to the Oprah Show, probably expecting inspiring stories,

Words of wisdom from Oprah…she probably did not expect

To receive…as all the guests did…a one thousand dollar debit card.

 

That’s right, every guest was given a $1000.00 debit card and a camcorder.

They were told to do two things:

            Spend the money to help someone or many people – not family

Or friends.

            And video tape their actions.

October 30^th 2006 – CBS 4 News Denver picks up the story

Of Heather Smith.  With her $1000.00 debit card.

She increased the amount with donations from family and friends

From $1000 to $2600 and gave it all to a woman who was shot in the face

In Denver, last Christmas Eve.

            And that woman, Martha Clark – intends to use the money

For reconstructive surgery.  But first – she donated a portion of it

To the church because, in her words:

            I asked if I could give it to the church, because the church,

So many people in the church…prayed for me since this happened.³

 

 

Random

            Acts

                        Of

                                    Kindness

 

//

 

             Maybe this has never happened to you.

The story I’m about to tell.

Maybe you’re one of those people – those lucky people

Who manage to smile through moments like the one I am about to share.

There I was.  In my little blue car.  One my way to yoga.

            Sitting at the red stop light.  Thinking yogic thoughts.

On my way to becoming one with the wonderful Universe.

My left blinker is on.  The light turns green. 

I turn the steering wheel – the car follows left.

And the idiot in the turn lane opposite me decides –

On a whim - to drive forward, instead of following through with his

Own left turn.

 

 

I mutter – to no one in particular:

            You’re in an expletive turn lane expletive expletive.

An annoyed silence settled in my car.

 

 

And then, I laughed.

            Out loud.  Really Loud.

The switch from “yogic thoughts” to unforgiving angry driver happened

So quickly,

            A reflexive reaction to irritating stimuli.

It reminded me of an old Disney cartoon featuring a character known as

Mr. Walker when he was in the role of pedestrian and Mr. Wheeler,

When he was in the role of an automobile driver.

            As Mr. Walker – he was very careful.  Stepped over ants.

Smiled, greeted everyone.  Spoke kindly and in hushed tones.

            As Mr. Wheeler – he seemed to grow fangs.  His hair was wild.

He honked and ran small, elderly people off sidewalks.

This, I thought, is who I’ve become:

            A yogi on my sticky mat, breathing, stretching, smiling – moving

Effortlessly through space

And, behind the wheel? an expletive dispensing Pez head.

 

 

I could see the ads now:

Flashed on the screen: a photo of me

Gripping a steering wheel.  I’ve sprouted fangs and wild hair.

The voice – you know, that movie announcer voice,

You know the one, says:

            Don’t be fooled by this citizen.

She may practice breathing and movement on the mat

but on the road, she’s a name caller.

On the road, she’s angry and unforgiving.

On the road, she’s an expletive dispensing Pez head.

Is this someone YOU want as a part of YOUR community?

Paid for by People who think that People who don’t use turn

Signals deserve a break from other People.

 

//

 

It’s only sort of funny.

            For the upcoming mid-term elections

A total of $160 million dollars was spent on negative campaign ads.

$160 million dollars.

            $160 million.

And positive campaign ads?

$17 million. 

The ratio?  For every $1.00 spent on a positive ad,

Approximately $10 dollars was spent on a negative ad.

It’s almost as if we believe that to be the winner

To make your point, to uh, call people to the highest good?

you must be the one who talks the most trash about your opponent –

and use a lot of money to do that trash talking.

What ever happened to being kind?

            Thoughtful?

                        Considerate?

To listening carefully?

            To finding something good to say, to appreciate about the other person.

Living from the greatness of your heart?

To truly calling people to the highest good?

 

I’m not talking about putting ourselves in harm’s way.

            I am talking about making the choice to live from the

Greatness of our hearts…in our ordinary lives, on ordinary days,

doing ordinary things that demonstrate our capacity to connect.

To be a part of the web of life…

            To touch and be touched with tender and benevolent affection,

What the Buddhist call: Loving Kindness.

 

//

 

 May you be filled with loving kindness begins the mantra.

            What does that look like?

Feel like?

            How do we live it…this being filled with loving kindness?

 

British author Danny Wallace who wrote a book

That detailed his accidental rise to the status of cult leader.

 

Bored, disenchanted and a bit lonely – Danny decided to place

An ad in the classifieds – inviting people to Join him by sending

A passport photo to his address.  His goal: 100 Joinees.

            The point of joining Danny – no one knew.

But desiring connection…people joined…looking to him as a

Leader.

            Feeling at a loss, and aware that his Joinees were growing

Disillusioned with the lack of purpose in this community they’d joined,

Danny came up with a plan.

He says of the cult:

            …my cult is a cult devoted to niceness.

To kindness. To improving the life of a total stranger,

if only for a moment or two.

I call it The Karma Army, and

I encourage my followers to carry out one Random Act of Kindness

for a complete stranger, each and every Friday.

 

I call these Fridays 'Good Fridays', and

I ask my members to sign The Good Fridays Agreement.

 

The very moment I instructed my joinees

to take to the streets and carry out Random Acts of Kindness

for the benefit of strangers, in fact,

 they took to their task with determination and gusto.

All over the country, little things were happening...

little moments of joy in towns and cities across the land.

Little events that were brightening up people's lives,

even if it was only for a few seconds.

Pints were being bought for strangers. Shopping was being carried.

Cups of tea paid for. Boxes of chocolates handed out in the streets.

Flowers deposited at old people's homes.

Cakes left on doorsteps.

 

Sure, none of these events was world-changing,

but they were... well... life-affirming, somehow.

Strangers being nice to strangers.

For no reason whatsoever.

And it continues to this very day.⁴

 

//

 

Now, it is said that the information in negative

Campaign ads stays with us longer, and that this

Is the reason for their effectiveness.

            But I believe something different.

I believe – like our principles say – in the inherent worth

And dignity.

            I believe too in our interconnectedness…in our innate

Desire to connect…to be our best selves and to be in relationship

With others in ways that makes the best come alive.

 

“There’s Hope” sang India.Arie in the opening music.

            It doesn’t cost a thing to smile

You don’t have to pay to laugh…

Extending ourselves more often than not, doesn’t cost us much

And it is the gift that continues to give…

            Think of Heather Smith, who began with a gift from Oprah

Of $1000.  Increased with additional gifts from family and friends to

$2600. – gave it to someone who could have used it all on herself…

And instead, she, Martha gave a portion back to the church…because they gave her

The gift of prayer…and so it goes – the cycle of giving…of kindness

            The cycle of care – of taking responsibility for the kind of community

 We wish to belong to.

 

Think too of Brett Leveridge – receiving the “okay” from a complete

Stranger.

            The euphoria his heart felt, when someone he did not know

Gave him the thumbs up…for what, he’s not sure – but it affirmed his

Sense of being “okay.”

I do believe that these random acts of everyday kindness

            change lives and stay with us longer than negativity –

Which breeds fear and distrust.

 

//

  

May we be filled with loving kindness begins the mantra

            How do we live it…this being filled with loving kindness?

Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield asks:

            Can we bring the Buddha into the voting booth where we live

            Can we act as the Buddha, writing letters to our

            Congressmen and congresswomen

            Can we walk like the Buddha to demonstrate for peace or for

            Justice or care for our environment

Kornfield says: the greatest gift we can bring to the challenges of these areas

Is our wisdom and greatness of heart.  Without it we perpetuate the problems;

With it, we can begin to transform the world.⁵

 

With our greatness of heart…we can begin to transform the world.

Our greatness of heart

Our willingness to empathize

To acknowledge another’s humanity…to be civil.

                       

“Polls suggest that a majority of Americans believe incivility

Is a serious and worsening problem.         

            …rudeness can make life unpleasant.  A day of being

Honked at, scowled at, and shouldered aside can frazzle even

The best-natured among us.⁶

 

Can we bring our greatness of heart – our ability to be civil – to

Offer random acts of kindness

           With us in to every day, ordinary moments?

Can we create our own Karma Army…

Our own cult of kindness, dedicated to improving the life of

A stranger, family member, friend…spreading little moments of joy.

           We may never take to street corners, wearing velvet jackets

And holding up signs that read: Free Hugs!

 

//

 

But, look at young persons in our own congregation:

Like  Lucas,

   we might offer to carry someone’s groceries.

Or like Mackenzie,

   we might make the decision to offer ourselves as a free baby sitter.

Or like Santiago,

    we might give away precious items from our treasure box. 

 

  

We may

Buy a cup of tea for a stranger,

Visit with an elderly or ill neighbor or member of the congregation,

Cook or buy a second thanksgiving meal and

             Share it with those who have less than we do,

Invite the neighbors for dinner or a walk and talk,

Genuinely compliment the store clerk,

Say a prayer of safety for the person who cuts you off in traffic,

Tip 30 %...

 

 

It ripples out…
       It matters – it makes a difference.

Even if all we’re able to do is

   Offer a smile.

That too is our gift…our greatness of heart

doesn’t cost us anything to give,

but it has the potential to make someone feel

a small kind of euphoria in his or her heart.

 

And sometimes

       That one random act of kindness could mean more than

We may ever know.