Today my heart is heavy with worry about my church members and friends who on top of everything else going on in the world are dealing with the wild fires in California and Oregon. So I turn to Tolkien and remember:

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

The world is indeed full of uncertainty but it is also full of love and caring. I am reminded of the beauty lost in the landscape and the help, with warmth and compassion that is being put into action. When things fall apart people show up, with masks for breathing, food, a place to rest, and prayers.

While we on the East Coast have our own worries, there is still much that is fair. The leaves are beginning to paint the landscape with color, the nights are cool and refreshing, and in the morning a new day starts full of possibilities and love. People say “hi” as I walk the dog in the morning. Neighbors are still months later checking in with each other.

So for today the practice can be; say a prayer for the world, notice the beauty and share your love and compassion.

– Rev. Kimberly Wootan