Out of the Mouths of Babes

"It's a blessing we were born,
and it matters what we do,
What we know about god
is a piece of the truth,
Let the beauty we love
be what we do,
And we don't have to do it alone."

These are the lyrics to a song written for “Chalice Camp,” a Unitarian Universalist summer day camp created by Laila Ibrahim and the Reverend Sheri Prud'homme for six to twelve year-olds in California’s Pacific Central District. I learned about Chalice Camp from Jory Agate at our last Mass Bay District UUMA meeting, and was delighted by how well these simple words written for children expressed the lessons I've been trying to teach to grown-ups for the last quarter-century.

Laila and Sheri are both members of the First Unitarian Church in Oakland, and Sheri is also an associate faculty member at the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley. Chalice Camp was developed around a philosophy of using accessible theological language to help our youngsters become better able to understand and articulate their connection to our larger faith tradition in a environment that was fun, utilized “multiple learning modes,” and which offered the kids an opportunity “to have deep and lasting connections with each other.” Yet often “out of the mouths of babes” come important insights worthy for us all.

“It’s a blessing we were born...” None of us actually asked to be born, and none of us really deserve to be here either. Yet through grace, luck, or perhaps simply an accident of nature, here we are, and now it’s up to us to make something of ourselves. The gift of life is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as well as a blessing -- not only for ourselves, but for all those whose lives we touch in a positive and meaningful way.

“It matters what we do...” The things we choose to do with our lives are important, and again not only for ourselves. In a very real sense, we are a part of the Universe which can think, and feel, and then act in ways that either make the world better or make it worse. Our decisions have consequences, which often last well beyond our own lifetimes.

“What we know about god is a piece of the truth...” Let’s face facts. Nobody knows ALL the answers. But each of us, if we try, can at least cultivate a little insight into our own lives, and perhaps a little empathy for the experiences of others. Simply learning to be slow to judge and quick to forgive can do wonders for improving the quality of our relationships with one another, and eventually lead us all to a deeper understanding of the bigger picture.

“Let the beauty we love be what we do...” Listen to your passion. Follow your bliss. How many times have you heard that in your life? So what are you waiting for?

“...and we don’t have to do it alone.” The blessings of family, friendship, community and society itself all provide deeper meaning and a broader context to the blessing of our own existence. Once again, none of us have perfect relationships, and often times many of our most significant relationships can be quite difficult and troubling. But even so, we don’t have to do it alone. With over six and a half billion people on the planet, it would be hard to do so even if we wanted to.

Take these simple thoughts to heart, and let them guide your lives. Just because profound ideas can be printed on the back of tee-shirts or sung aloud by children doesn’t make them any less profound.