Minister's Musing

Rev. Mark Ward
Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville

August 2006

I hope your summer has been refreshing and rewarding. It’s hard to believe it’s almost over, but as I write this I know that many families are preparing to send children back to school and gear into the fall routine. With the graduation of our youngest daughter from high school last June, my wife and I are approaching the first fall in some 20 years without a child in public school. But as our daughter heads off to college we are in some ways still charting our lives by the school calendar. As it happens, each of our daughters is looking forward to new beginnings this fall. Our middle daughter, having graduated from college, is going to work for Americorps, and our eldest daughter will be married in September.

It is an exciting time for them and us: thrilling to see each of them finding a way in the world. And yet for all the joy this brings us, there is wistfulness as well. My wife was surprised the other day to find that when she described these changes to a social worker friend she found herself breaking down in tears. She told the woman that she didn’t understand what the tears were about, but the social worker wisely commented: “It sounds like a lot of good-byes.” And of course she’s right.

Each change in our lives inevitably brings some hard good-byes. We want to hold on to all that we know and love: people, places, things. It’s hard to let go, and yet we do, as we know we must. And we find comfort in a community of caring, a place in this world of coming and going where we are supported and valued. Welcome back to such a place, where we are preparing for a busy church year. As you can see in this newsletter there is a lot going on. So, let me invite you to dive in and find that place that feeds your hopes and yearnings.

See you in church.