Today's elementary session focused on the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and openness to the forces that create and uphold life." Expressed in children's language, we learned about "the sense of wonder we all share."
Participants considered human nature, with a focus on the wonder and awe of finding beauty in unexpected places. To experience this directly, we broke open geodes - very ordinary looking round rocks that contain unexpectedly beautiful crystals within. We also examined a bracelet belonging to Ms. Pat, made of beautiful fragments of the 17th century stained glass windows that melted and were destroyed when her childhood church caught fire and burned down.
Today's session also affirmed that, although humans are imperfect creatures, with work and time and love we can turn our flaws into strength and beauty. The story "The Scratched Diamond" told of a gem carver who transforms a deeply scratched diamond by incorporating the scratch into an etching of a beautiful flower. We talked about how turning a flaw or mistake into something beautiful can create a moment of "wow" and wonder in our hearts.
Children also considered ways they can transform uncomfortable situations, poor choices, or bad behaviors into something better. By focusing on the constellation AWE AND WONDER in our Night Sky display, we affirmed that by keeping Love as our guiding star, each of us has the ability to make those wonder-filled tranformations every day.
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