Each of us enters this world and departs from this world alone, but we are born into a family and we can walk with loved ones up to the moment of death. We are blessed when a loving family receives us at birth and when loving friends, partners, spouses or family can walk the last mile with us.JBK 10

It is my fundamental conviction that compassion-the natural capacity of the human heart to feel concern for and connection with another being-constitutes a basic aspect of our nature shared by all human beings, as well as being the foundation of our happiness. Humanists share a positive philosophy drawing foundational principles of compassion and equality from the empathy we feel for all of humanity and the world in which we live. While our scientific source of knowledge implies atheism or agnosticism, we've had decades to apply this caring and rational philosophy to many areas of life beyond the God question. Many animals also display wide-ranging emotions, including joy, happiness, empathy, compassion, grief, and even resentment and embarrassment. It’s not surprising that animals—especially, but not only, mammals—share many emotions with us because we also share brain structures—located in the limbic system—that are the seat of our emotions. In many ways, human emotions are the gifts of our animal ancestors. JKB10

You have "got me thinking" about religious beliefs. And Why? Really, what gets us through the day? For some they may say it is a deity. God is looking after me. Fatalism? Yet unseen and unaccounted for. What really gets us through the day is our belief and confidence in ourselves and those around us, our friends and neighbors. This security and reliance may depend on where we live. In some parts of the city they do not lock their doors while in other parts doors must be well secured at all times Those with plenty may worry about loss. How safe are we! Soon we learn to live securely in an insecure world., rationally in an irrational world. Some say this begins sometimes before age four, when we tolerate separation from mother and accept others and experience empathy. Early mental development is non verbal ,driven by biological instincts, pleasure and pain Socialization begins. Rational thinking comes later. We are part of others. Unitarians are largely earthbound. JBK11

Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalism is about this life, not an afterlife.

Unitarian Universalism focuses on actions and experiences, not beliefs.

Unitarian Universalism is democratic, not hierarchical.

Unitarian Universalism envisions a harmony between goodness and happiness, not the sacrifice of one to the other.

In our vision of the good life, individuals passionately and enthusiastically work to make the world more just, more loving, and more beautiful. None of us perfectly achieves that ideal

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Nobody killed somebody today,

there’s a gentle breeze upon the Bay,

 the fish are running so they say,

 lets go crabbing,

 IN MATHEWS COUNTY. jbk2010