by Dana Dwinell-Yardley

I'm blogging from Salt Lake City, Utah — here for the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. What does a religious gathering have to do with the movement for Vermont independence? Well, Friday night I heard a sermon that every activist, every hardworking do-gooder, everyone who's ever bemoaned the craziness of their schedule or the weight of their responsibilities — and that just about covers all of us — should hear.

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Mary Harrington at the Service of the Living Tradition, our annual worship honoring those completing or beginning ministry. (You can read the UUA.org coverage of the event here.) Harrington, in a sermon titled, "A Lifetime Isn't Long Enough," spoke about today's expectation of busy, over-committed lives, our desire to do do do so much for our world that's in so much pain.

This constant deluge of responsibility, leaving no time for an inner, spiritual life, does not ultimately lead to a better world, though. Harrington quoted Thomas Merton: “There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence, and that is activism and overwork. . . . The frenzy of our activism neutralizes our work for peace." Wise words.

The gist of Harrington's remarks were this: We need to live a life in balance, the power of our inner lives and the power of our outer lives drawing on and sustaining the other in equal measure. She suggested that we have seven spiritual responsibilities, responsibilities to ourselves as great as our responsibilities to the world. They are to:

1. Know that we have a body and it is good.

7. Make time for solitude, rest, and Sabbath.

(You can delve a little more into what Harrington means by each of these, plus read more highlights from her sermon, at the link above.)

As we continue to work towards independence for ourselves, our communities, and our state, let's keep these seven great responsibilities in mind. I think adding a spiritual side to our crusty Yankee selves might just make this movement toward sustainability, self-reliance, and sovereignty a little stronger.

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About Common Sense
Common Sense is written by Jane Dwinell and Dana Dwinell-Yardley, a mother-daughter blog team. They live, respectively, on a small canal boat in France and in a container-garden-and-housemate-crazy Montpelier home. Send them your questions and comments about food, fuel, family, or financial independence! Write to mountaingirl at vtlink dot net. You can also check out some of their other writings at their website: Spirit of Life Publishing.