May 24, 2015

I went to a Unitarian Universalist Church today. I took the train, or rather the bus that runs along the train line, due to repairs on the wiring that follows the train tracks overhead. The interior was immaculate, painted and neat; a wood frame building with neo-classical features such as columns. There were pictures on the wall of John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Barack Obama. All three were raised Unitarian. The minister said that the church's peace-orientation in the past had caused it not to be as understanding as it might have been toward members of the military. It being Memorial Day weekend, the service was therefore about appreciating servicemen & women. We sang America the Beautiful, there was a video in which a UU Navy chaplain talked about her experiences, and servicemembers present were asked to stand to be recognized and were given applause. There was an insightful quote from Lao Tzu that was read about peace, hymns were sung, and somewhere I saw a specific reference to the church welcoming transgender people. 

The church is in a town that I pass through on the way to New York. It has the most charming downtown area. You walk around and you think, oh, I wish I lived here! There's a historic diner made from a train car, several coffee shops, the most perfect homes with manicured landscaping, a very nice park with a big lawn by the train station--this has got new metal benches painted a glossy black. Some are in the shade at noon. At an artisan bagel shop, I got a luscious, scrumptious, mouth-watering 'everything' bagel--poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic--with vegetable-flavored cream cheese. It was a contender for most delicious thing I've eaten since coming back to America. I ate it in the shade on one of the glossy black benches, with the smell of grass in the air. 

After coming back home, I removed the wire fence roof (that I had built) that served as a protective cover for the outdoor pen of the chicken coop. The chickens are long gone; new chickens have not replaced them. There's nothing there now that needs protecting from hawks, weasels, and racoons. It had all become rusty.  I was careful, slow and methodical, but inevitably, I got poked by one of the wires I cut. I can't remember my last tetanus shot. Tomorrow, I'm supposed to go get one. 

I won't put my bedtime prayer on here. It's not for other people to see. Though I will say that I wish happiness and good health to all living things.