Monthly Spotlight

Welcome to the Path of Delight

Because the road
turns long and lonely sometimes,
I built this box of delight.
I picked up the lid
and into it I put…

My children laughing, together.
The look of giddy disbelief on my mother’s face when that black-capped chickadee
swooped in and landed next to her knee, waking her up from her Alzheimered daze.
The bitter bite of rhubarb pie smothered by a spoonful of half-melted vanilla ice cream.
That field of fireflies at the bottom of the West Virginia hills.
Roahl Dahl or Neil Gaiman’s books read at bedtime.
Kick ball.
Being pulled through a snowy field on a saucer sled
tied to the bumper of my dad’s Chevy Vega with tire chains wrapped around every wheel.
Deep dish pizza. The smell of a tangerine. French press.
The first bite of a perfectly made croissant, proving that decadence sometimes purifies the soul.
An artichoke, with no limits on the butter.
Mixtapes made with tunes from the eighties.
Sweatshirts worn faithfully for 20 years, their holes a reminder that to be used up is a gift.
The first fall tree to boldly burn red while its less-brave siblings stay safely green.
Stumbling on black raspberries while walking in the woods;
No, scratch that. Instead let’s put in having a loved one save you some black raspberries they found in the woods.
Seeing the smile on my claustrophobic wife’s face
after finally snorkeling in the waters of St. John.
That sweet, night owl quiet when worries don’t seem so big or so scary.
My 6 year-old daughter writing “I love you Mom and Dad” on our car seat, in permanent marker.
The way subway street musicians suddenly turn strangers into fellow humans.
The feeling of getting warm after being cold.
My wife’s laugh, and how much I love her toes.
And the knowledge that all this will be gone,
but is not gone yet.

That’s what’s in my box.
I wonder what you’ll put in yours.

 

– Courtesy of Soul Matters Sharing Circle  a UU theme-based ministry program

Spiritual Exercises

Help Another Delight in the Book that Delighted You

For many of us, there is no greater delight than a great book. Except maybe sharing that great book with someone. So for this exercise…

Give away a copy of your favorite book to a friend or stranger!

If you give it away to a friend, be sure to write a note to them or tell them why the book is special to you and what special thing about them made you want to give it to them.

If you want to give a favorite book away to a stranger, here are a few links to help you on your way:

 Questions for Reflection

  1. What do you know now about delight that you didn’t know when you were younger?
  2. Who taught you the most about cultivating delight?
  3. How does your delight differ from your parent’s delight?
  4. What is the difference between joy and delight? And what two stories from your life serve as examples?
  5. Do you have a story you delight in telling over and over again? (Maybe that you tell so much that your family rolls their eyes when you begin telling it again.) What role do you think these frequently told tales play in our lives? What role have they played for you? And what gift have they given you?
  6. Whose ability to be delighted do you envy?
  7. The poet, Khalil Gibran, claims that the earth delights in us. Have you ever experienced the world delighting in you?
  8. When was the last time you told your partner that they delight you?
  9. At this stage of your life, which do you long for the most: delight, joy or happiness?
  10. Has delight ever been a form of resistance for you?
  11. Are delight and divinity intertwined? Is delight somehow a doorway into the holy? If so, what life experience of yours convinced you of that?
  12. What’s your question? Your question may not be listed above. As always, if the above questions don’t include what life is asking from you, spend the month listening to your days to find it.

Brown Like Me

Brown Like Me is a place of belonging for Black youth in Idaho’s Treasure Valley.

In a region where our Black children are often the minority in their schools, activities, the grocery store, and even at home, Brown Like Me delivers programming that allows them to see the beauty of being Black.

Monthly club meetings and other regular events provide our youth with activities that build self-esteem and expose them to Black culture, connect them to Black mentors and community leaders, and, just as important, deliver opportunities to just be around friends who look like them.

Additionally, we offer a forum for parents of Black youth to share their experiences in a safe setting, and for adoptive parents to learn about the importance of cultivating ties to their child’s culture.

Explore this Plate Partner HERE