November 20, 2010
Nancy Schildt
First Unitarian Church of Honolulu
Dear Nancy;
One Sunday in October I somehow found myself not only inHawaiibut in the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu where a hot band was warming up of all things. Strange doings. Then, gradually, an almost empty building became filled with the warmth of humanity as a wonderful community came together. Then a vocal section got tuned up as well for goodness sakes. More and more warm folks filled the room. I didn’t feel like a stranger at all. I felt welcome. It felt like a fine place to be. I wondered if people were wondering about the goofy grin spread across my face. I felt so good I thought I might cry. Cry for happy.
All the visiting storytellers on Sunday felt that way. I know they did. You could feel it in their/our voices. We shared our stories with the pure joy of sharing. The way it should be. The way it was truly meant to be.
Afterwards, a young lady recently from Oregon came up to thank me. She said she had been debating whether or not to attend the Church for the first time that Sunday. She decided to come. And she was so glad she’d made that decision, she said . She was so happy to have shared that special occasion with everyone gathered there. She was overwhelmed, she said, at what had happened.
I told her that it was no great mystery. I told her it was pretty simple in fact.
“This,” I told her, “is exactly where you were meant to be today.”
And I realized while those words were rolling outta my mouth that the same was true for me. Right there in the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu was exactly where I was meant to be Sunday, October 17th 2010.
So I want to thank youNancy, and the whole congregation, for taking me in and sharing with me and allowing me to belong. What a magnificent gift.
Sincerely,
Jim Green