Bless the Beasts and the Children

Today was our first Pet Blessing at Westside UU Congregation. It was lovely, really lovely. And despite the fact that I could hardly speak because I talked about our dear old Emmathedog, the service went pretty well.

But I realized something pretty big.

I have deep, twining connections with my dear congregation.

As I was telling the kids about our good old dog, and our sweet little new dog there were big events in the story that all centered around our congregation.

When I was really sad about losing Emma, one of our young members told me that I'd never really lose her, she'd be in my heart, but that he still missed his old dog, too. That made me feel much better especially that first week.

As I was trying to find a way to help Emma let go of this world and move on, our Story Time teacher gave me the perfect way to honor her, and then to let her go. I would have waited too long if I hadn't had the way to move ahead.

And when she was gone, my friend and fellow RE Council member gave me a book that let me imagine what Emma would have been thinking......and it let me imagine that someday we might invite a new dog into our lives.

Then when it was time to think about a new dog, it was a mom at church who told me about "Pet Finder" and how to look for the right "little" dog, that's where we found our wonder dog, little Noodles.

How would I ever have done this without my church community? Even though it's supposed to be that "I" serve "them" there's a whole lot of "us" going on.

Thank God!

And thank YOU Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Thank you.