A full summer

Tomorrow, I leave for a respite in Portland Oregon with Alan's oldest daughter and her partner. We'll see one of my daughter's middle school friends, her wife and pretty new baby and get to meet a relative Alan hasn't seen since he was young. We'll be driving to the Coast with our family and then driving by ourselves up to Canada for a few days.

This summer has been amazing so far. It seems like so much happens during the summer though things are supposed to slow down. Marriage equality passed in New York State and I can finally sign those marriage certificates I haven't been able to sign 'cause I just couldn't justify signing them for some couples and not for others --just doesn't fit my faith as a UU. So we held one of the seven Faith Rallies for Marriage Equality here at the Unitarian Church of Staten Island. It was well attended and well covered in the media. I've been walking the Jericho Walk with other clergy and the Chair of our Social Justice committee. The Jericho Walk is sponsored by the New Sanctuary Committee and Churches United to Save and Heal. We march every Friday since the middle of June around the Federal Plaza--in silence, with a prayer of unity, a prayer that everybody has the right to remain, that the walls of injustice will fall that separate parents and children, spouses, that shatter lives day after day. It is an incredible experience, this Jericho Walk--a spiritual practice of maintaining silence, fasting and walking for a new immigration law.

It has been a summer of incredibly rich experiences--hearing Karen Armstrong talk about the Charter of Compassion and reading "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life", visiting friends Russell and Anthony in St. Pete and going to the Dali museum, the Fine Arts Museum, and the Chihully collection as well as a Big Cat sanctuary and kayaking through my fears in a mangrove swamp.

Life is so profound and I feel so blessed to live in New York City and occasionally visit dear friends and family in other places.