As a bi-vocational priest, it sometimes seems like opportunities to
act in the "official" capacity are few and far between. Yet, when
those opportunities arise, there is a joy that bubbles up inside me that cannot
be described other than to say, I feel blessed. The month of October brought me
two weddings this year, both of which took place outdoors. One was held in the
White Mountains on a rainy day in the woods; the other, just a week later, took
place at the foot of the Superstition Mountains in the center of a labyrinth.
While one of these weddings was completely secular, the other included
references to the Divine; yet both couples held Handfasting
Ribbons and bound one another to promises. Both ceremonies were
glorious. Both couples look forward to long, happy relationships. I am thrilled
to have been a part of their big days.
I am preparing to print out a brochure with descriptions and
pricing for services I provide in the capacity of priest. It's a little
discomfiting, to think of these things from a business perspective. I am a
person who deals in human compassion, empathy, and love. You really cannot put
a price tag on these things. However, one must also make a living, and our time
and effort are worth something. The "day job" provides income and
insurance, but being in a social services position is not particularly
financially lucrative. It's taken me a long time to bring myself to being able
to set a cost to the ministerial services I provide. Now that I've done it,
I've procrastinated on printing it out. By rights, it should have been
delivered to the local wedding venues and other places before this
"snowbird" season in the Southwest began last month. This is how I
sabotage myself, isn't it. One of a million ways...
Brigid in the Desert hosted an in-person gathering every month for
the first 2/3 of this year. When there were two or more of us sitting together
at a table in discussion, it was awesome. Unfortunately, we are a small group
of individuals with a variety of challenges. Toward the end of summer, some of
our physical challenges made it difficult to meet in person. Instead, we have
been chatting on the Facebook
page and in the Facebook group, Brigid in
the Desert Discussions. We have talked about everything from pain
and spiritual experience to our interactions with those who have crossed beyond
the veil from this world into the next. We are a diverse, fun, and hopeful
group. Feel free to join us!
Now it's November. The Wheel of the Year has taken us past Samhain
and the beginning of new life after the death of summer. We head into a time of
deliberate thanksgiving, at least here in the United States, as well as a
conversation around the meaning of that "First Thanksgiving" and our
relationships with the Indigenous people of this land. There is much to wrestle
with.
The nights are darkening earlier and we notice a chill in the air,
even here in the Sonoran Desert. In the mountains and across the northern parts
of the globe, the scent of ice and snow reinvigorates our senses and reminds us
of cozy childhood evenings and Yuletide dreams. No matter our religious or
spiritual heritage, there are memories of gifts and light and new hope that is
born at the end of the calendar year. The Wheel turns. We grow older. Sometimes
we forget the power of that innocent hope. At this time of year, we can be
reminded of it; it can be reborn in us, if we let it.
If there is anything Americans -- and many others around the world
-- can use right now, it's a newborn hope. Let's let it be born in us!
Let us birth a new hope.
