by Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty
We are powerful beyond measure, humankind, each one of us has a capacity for a range of personal skills. Gifts that we have spent a lifetime cultivating through times of joy, hours at work and play, as well as times where we have faced life challenges. Within us we hold knowledge, skills and the motivation to reach beyond. We are powerful beyond measure.
Courage, love, Compassion, fierceness, commitment, acceptance, communication (listening), adaptability, self-reflection, being open to feedback, learning and growing, a constant moral compass, just to name a few.
There are many skills that one can develop throughout their lives and at times we rank them in importance. Being innovative is usually highly prized, as we interact, work and play we pull each skill forward as it is needed. We multi-thread skills weaving them around situations, interactions or experiences; very rarely do we use just a single skill. Maybe in a given situation we require the skill of patience, compassion and love, and add to that our curious nature and a spark of inspiration, roll it all up in a wrapping of motivation and commitment, toss in a dash of fierceness and we are powerful beyond measure.
I think of skills as the ingredients of our life. If we pull together a palatable concoction we create a recipe for success or happiness or whatever our minds/hearts desire. If we are not willing or able to gather what is needed what we need/desire may not manifest in the way that we had hoped for. If we each have a different recipe in mind how, one may wonder, can we cultivate a menu that is simpatico?
As we arrive at First Parish’s Homecoming Sunday, hopefully rested from this summer, let us gather our skills and recipes for an amazing and enlightening church year. Let our ingenuity, creativeness and commitment bring us to new and exciting places. There is an important reason that we gather in comm-unity… because it is far more fulfilling to do this work of living a life, developing our skills, learning and growing when we do it together.
We have everything that we need if we dare to invite, welcome, imagine and unite as the community of First Parish!
Much love and see you soon,
Rev. Marjorie