Thirty Days of Love – Day 1

Thirty Days of Love is the annual Unitarian Universalist Side With Love celebration that runs from the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. to Valentine’s Day. Most UUs celebrate it in their own way…or not at all. For me, Thirty Days of Love has become a month of spiritual deepening where I’ve translated some of the practices observed during Islam’s holy month of Ramadan and incorporated them into my practice.

For Muslims, Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, prayer, worship, charity and discipline. Fasting during its observance is one of the Five Pillars of Islam; the others being Profession of Faith, Almsgiving (charity), Pilgrimage and Prayer (five times per day).

Throughout the Thirty Days of Love, I fast during the daylight hours and creatively engage in my meditation practice five times a day. Although Almsgiving is practiced throughout the year, I am also more intentional about almsgiving during this particular month.

Thirty Days of Love…may it be a blessing!

 

Thirty Days of Love – Day 2

During the Thirty Days of Love, I will be posting something for each day however I know that I’ll be off the grid for a few days later this week; therefore, some of the postings will come at the end of the week.

Can humor be a spiritual practice? I don’t know but I’m humored today.

Somebody please tell me….why are people sled-riding??? We’re having snow flurries today. There is NO SNOW ON THE GROUND! ZERO! NADA! Yet I’m watching people, some of them adults, running, flexible flyer in hand, to a hill across the street. To do what (I ask myself)? To go sledding? Down a hill without snow? You can’t be serious? They are serious! They are actually trying to sled down a wet, grassy hill sans snow!

Do we allow such people to vote? Raise children? Participate in the global economy? 😊

Spirituality is the eternal human longing to be connected to something larger than one’s own ego. – Parker Palmer

Two Jesuit priests wanted a cigarette while they prayed. They decided to ask their bishop for permission. The first asked but was told no. A little while later he spotted his friend smoking. “Why did the bishop allow you to smoke and not me?” he asked. His friend replied, “Because you asked if you could smoke while you prayed and I asked if I could pray while I smoked!” – Anonymous

He who drinks beer sleeps well;
He who sleeps well does not sin;
He who does not sin goes to heaven   – UU seminarian

Religion needs more humor! If everyone would just lighten up 15%, the world would be a much better place.

 

Thirty Days of Love – Day 3

Today is the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. He patterned his actions on Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha movement of nonviolent (ahimsa) resistance to injustice and evil. Gandhi is said to have patterned his actions, in part, after Unitarian, and famous civil disobedient, Henry David Thoreau.

A lot of people dislike Colin Kaepernick. Prior to some football games, he took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem to protest racial inequality. People thought he was disrespecting the flag, the National Anthem, the police, active armed forces, veterans….or whatever.

Yet, like King, Gandhi and Thoreau, Colin Kaepernick was nonviolent. He didn’t prevent any football games from being played. He didn’t commit any act of vandalism. He didn’t confront or assault law enforcement officers or those actively serving in our armed forces. He had no weapons. He didn’t hurt anyone. Nobody died. No law enforcement officers were killed…yet people still have a problem with Colin Kaepernick.

On January 6, 2021, people gathered at the Capitol and prevented (for a while at least) Congress’ counting of electoral ballots. They committed acts of vandalism. They confronted and assaulted law enforcement officers and active armed forces. They brought weapons. People got hurt. People died. Law enforcement officers were killed.

….yet people still have a problem with Colin Kaepernick.

Someone please define disrespect.