One Minister's Musing: Lessons from Redwoods

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

As a child I was able to see some Redwoods near San Francisco. I was struck by the immensity of the trees and the groves that have survived millennia. I was caught in the magic of the magnificent denseness of trees and the dappling of light as the sun shone among the branches and the wind moved the leaves. It was truly magical.

It was not until adulthood that I learned another almost magical element of the Redwoods. These trees, which can be over 350 feet tall, only have shallow roots systems. Despite these shallow roots, a redwood tree can withstand fire, earthquakes and wind - but not alone. Redwood trees grow in groves, their root systems spread over 80 feet and each tree’s root system are intertwined providing stability for individual trees and the grove. It is only as a grove a redwood tree can survive and flourish.

Redwoods can be a symbol of community. As individuals we are not as strong as we are in community. Our congregations can be spiritual communities of diversity and strength. A shared belief in a creed or a Deity does not necessitate a spiritual community. When human beings gather in community the world is less lonely and we are not so isolated. When we gather in a spiritual community we, like the roots in a grove of redwoods, interconnect and hold one another up. In doing so we know we are not alone or abandoned– we are part of something greater than ourselves, we are part of a spiritual community.

Key to such community is commitment and listening. In our society today there seems to be a push to not listen to one another, but if we do not listen, grow, and create greater community we will all loose. In the words of UUA President Susan Fredrik-Grey “This is no time for a casual faith.”

Unitarian Universalism can be a faith of liberation where our diversity, our work to create beloved community, and our commitment to dismantle all forms of oppression hold us strongly together. Together, we can withstand storms and hold one another in accountability and love