By Pauline Benetti
Special to The PREVIEW
“Nothing we do will be perfect,” the title of an article in the Unitarian Universalist (UU) periodical UU World regarding racial justice work, applies equally to this Sunday’s talk about motherhood.
The bar is set very high both by cultural expectations of mothers as well as mothers’ own expectations, and failure is met with opprobrium and self-condemnation.
Yet if we take to heart the UU belief in the motive force of love, — “The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy” — learning to love our imperfections is indeed an important “motive force” and “principle of love” that introduces compassion where there are imperfections.
Motherhood is an art, not a science, and as challenging as it is, the rewards, perhaps, have no equal and perfection, as in any art, has no place.
Melissa Edwards, Sunday’s lay leader, will help us navigate some of the challenges inherent in motherhood through the exploration of motherly advice, trends that never caught on, animal kingdom mothers and mothering techniques abroad. Edwards hopes to expand awareness and tolerance to accept our differences in mothering, reserve judgments and build connection through compassion.
Edwards enjoyed life in Manhattan, Santa Monica, St. Croix, Lake Tahoe, Seattle and more before returning to her home state of Oklahoma for 25 years to help both parents navigate cancer and heal their relationships.
She feels her “gypsy years” are fueled her openness and curiosity. She has led a varied professional life, including national makeup trainer, outside sales, customer care (auto industry), research/design of CEU courses, design/decoration/contract work for a 4,000-square-foot decorative concrete showroom, and landscape design.
She is currently the proud owner of two small log cabins, managing one as a vacation rental. She now happily spreads her roots in Pagosa Springs, where she enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country and hydrotherapy at our hot springs. She loves her life of connection.
Ours is a welcoming congregation; we invite everyone to share in our faith community. Usually leadership is by Pastor Dean Cerny on third and fourth Sundays; however, this Sunday a lay leader will preside.
The Religious Exploration program for 2- to 9-year-olds continues in May on May 19 and 26. For more information, contact Anna Ramirez at afrancis_@hotmail.com.
Find us in Unit B-15 of the Greenbriar Plaza. From North Pagosa Boulevard, turn right onto Park Avenue and right again into Greenbriar Plaza, then turn left and continue around the complex until you see the Unitarian Universalist sign as it faces the mountains. Join us. For further information about the Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, visit pagosauu.org or call 731-7900.
