Tending the Heart

·13 min·1 clip

Nicole, a UU ministry aspirant, thanks her community for supporting her through seminary and invites reflection on gratitude.

Nicole begins by introducing herself as the board president and an aspirant to UU ministry, expressing gratitude for the community's support during her first semester at Star King seminary. She notes the busyness of the season, listing her own commitments like papers, concerts, and family events, and connects this to broader cultural expectations. Nicole critiques capitalism and consumerism for claiming the season, urging listeners to tend to their hearts, spirits, and bodies instead. She quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson on adopting nature's pace of patience, contrasting it with society's treatment of December as a sprint to finish tasks. Nicole observes that nature uses December as a transition period, encouraging deeper reflection on lessons learned and burdens carried. She shares a personal story about a sermon on thresholds by Reverend Kathleen, which helped her during a confusing life transition, offering permission to pause in uncertainty. Nicole acknowledges current challenges like rising fascism and personal losses, highlighting how holidays can exacerbate grief, financial strain, and loneliness. She emphasizes that tending the heart involves honesty without shame, noting that hearts are tender and require gentle care. Referencing Billy Joel's song 'Vienna,' Nicole stresses that growth and justice don't follow convenient schedules, and hearts need breathing room like slow embers. She invites listeners to practice one small act of tending, such as resting or speaking gently, rooted in Unitarian Universalist beliefs in every person's worth. The sermon concludes with a call to move through the season with presence and tenderness, trusting in the pace of one's path.

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