Sometimes, the troubles of the outer world collide with those in our individual lives, and it all feels like too much.

This past week has been a little like that for me. My heart was broken by the war in Israel and Palestine, and then by the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. I was also carrying the stress of two surgeries in my family: my wife’s last Friday and my mother-in-law’s this Tuesday. All this was against the backdrop of ongoing crises of climate, rising fascism, COVID as a continuing reality, and so much more. It’s a lot, and it has been a lot for all of us for a long time now.

There have also been joys, large and small—the surgeries both went well; my son turns twenty-one today, November 1st; I enjoyed both bright fall leaves and the first snowfall of the year. I also made a point of offering small kindnesses to myself: a cup of tea in my favorite mug, a scented candle in a seasonal candle holder that gives me joy, my most comfortable clothes.

Still, I realized that I needed to unplug a bit from the news and just focus on my own smaller world, full of people I love, some of whom require extra support right now.

I know I am not alone in this, which is exactly why I share it. I have the support I need—this is not a plea for help! It is, I hope, a shared moment of human vulnerability, when my own balancing act can perhaps give some of you the permission you may need to set something down in order to tend to what matters most. (If you do not have the support you need, please reach out to me or to someone else you trust.)

None of us are unaware of the many traumas and crises in our world; none of us are uncaring about them. Sometimes, what we need most is to take care of ourselves and those closest to us, to nurture ourselves and others so that we can be part of the long-haul work of justice and social change that the world so sorely needs. Not forever—we must avoid letting our privilege keep us permanently focused inward—and not all of us at once. Each of us, in turn, should rest as we need to—trusting that the rest of us will keep doing the work.

In years past, a UUA bumper sticker read, “Nurture your spirit. Help heal our world.” Both are necessary.

My wish for you all is that you find a sustainable flow between focusing inward and outward—not necessarily a “balance” that might imply 50/50, but a flow that works with both your energy level and your life circumstances.

In gratitude,

Rev. Diana