On Thursday, May 6, 2021, please join the Freethought Society, Recovering From Religion, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Secular Student Alliance and the Secular Coalition for America as we celebrate The National Day of Reason by hosting a Zoom entertainment extravaganza entitled “Mayday for Humanity.” The event will begin at 4:00 PM PST/6:00 PM MST/7:00 PM EST.
Comedians Leighann Lord and Ian Harris will co-host this 3-hour event. They will usher in an array of comedians, poets, and musical performers. All funds donated during the event will benefit homeless shelters and food banks selected by the co-sponsors. Beneficiary organizations operate in a nondiscriminatory and secular manner.
This entertaining and enlightening program will interweave messages from co-sponsors, celebrity supporters, and people who are conducting grassroots community service projects during the 2021 Secular Week of Action (April 30-May 9).
An online auction will also take place with items donated by renowned-sculptor Zenos Frudakis, award-winning science writer Ann Druyan, illusionist Curt Anderson, the Humanists Society of Santa Barbara and many others.
Infrastructure Plan
How the proposed Infrastructure Plan offered by President Biden could roll out. Many say that infrastructure is only what can be driven on, others argue it should be expanded to broadband, national, and state parks. Some say it should extend much further into caring for our population in terms of the health and wellbeing of the populace. Predictably the most limiting common argument against these improvements is the associated costs and the discussion of where to obtain the necessary funding to follow through on all these projects.
Editorial Content that is the opinion of the Author
Mark Twain said, “It isn’t what sum you get, it’s how much you can buy with it, that’s the important thing.” (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court) In other words we should expect to get what we pay for. Let us imagine what life might be like if the full range of President Biden’s entire plan were implemented. The roads, bridges, broadband, energy production is primarily from renewable sources, and the proposed human support factors are all in place. A young woman and her partner decide to bring a child into the world. The mother will receive appropriate medical care throughout her pregnancy and delivery. This will include maternity and paternity care for both parents for 6-12 months post-partum and then available quality childcare at work. The child will begin formal pre-schooling early in life that will be followed by subsidized K-12 education and then schooling directed to either an academic or skilled trade training depending on the aptitudes and desires of each person. Finally, our subject will become an informed, productive, voting, and tax paying citizen who will help other new people follow the same scenarios.
Yes, this will be expensive, very expensive. But as Twain notes, the important thing here is what we get for our investment. I am not an economist but am certain that major changes will need to be made to existing tax codes. This will have to include actually taxing everyone, including the very rich who reportedly pay a much smaller percentage of their earnings than people like you and me pay. It will also require that everyone who works full time will get a living wage; a home, food, television, and broadband connectivity and have something left for vacations and leisure activities.
There is good evidence that this government model works in a significant number of countries around the world. Their citizens realize that investments in themselves pay dividends to make everyone’s lives better. It almost sounds like the words of Abraham Lincoln who described our country as being, “Of the People, By the People, and For the People.”
It seems to me like we might be at a rare stage of our history where virtually everything can be made better for almost everyone. I am entering the later stages of my life and would be very glad to see the torch of humanity passed to a better world than we have now for future generations.
—Wayne Wilson
President’s Message
Happy Spring Humanists!
With the weather getting nicer and our communities becoming safer, it is a perfect time to talk about things that many of us enjoy and feel hopeful about. With Summer just around the corner, many are making plans that have been anxiously awaited and heavily anticipated. We are excitedly planning events for the near future, hopefully, as we grow closer to herd immunity. More of our fellow humans are becoming vaccinated and more of us wanting to be outdoors will make this a safe option coming off of the stress of the past year.
This month we will be celebrating our mothers and Memorial Day. We hope you and your families enjoy each other, safely and are able to feel love and hope for the future. It is a season of hope and a season of community.
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was taking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.
And he said WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.” And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”
And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the Myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.”
A big hello to you, my precious friends. I hope that this edition finds you healthy, happy and ready for Spring. We have been through alot in the past year. There is light at the end of this very heavy tunnel. The seasons are changing, there is much more information on what we are dealing with and the instruction on how we, as a people of the planet, should proceed. For now, still with extreme caution. I think that this is the hardest part… knowing that we are close to being able to be together with people who are important to us and doing the things that we love, but it’s not quite time. I can speak for me – I CANNOT WAIT to go to concerts, travel our planet and hug everyone I can get my hands on. For us hugger type of people, this has been awful.
In the meantime, let’s get our plan of action together. We cannot wait to meet in person and be together safely. I am paying very close attention to the state and CDC guidelines and recommendations. If all goes well, it could be in a handful of months. But until then, do your best to help be part of the bigger solution of safety: get vaccinated, wear your mask, still stay home or social distance as much as possible to help prevent any spread and keep your chin up. We have made it this far and we are much stronger than we thought.
Please know that I think of you all often and we are here, helping spread the word on how to to be better folks. The saying goes – Never waste a crisis. With that said, I know that I am not wasting this one by helping others on how to become/ how to realize they already are/ and more importantly – how easy it is to be a humanist. Keep fighting the good fights. Keep standing your ground on what you believe. Keep loving people and striving for goodness in all things. Keep exemplifying our humanist beliefs. But most importantly – keep being you! See you all soon (and consider yourself hugged from afar). Have a beautiful day, be safe and well.
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Using Our Own Minds
Input from experts is valuable but our own sense of the truth is ultimately the most important.
To a certain degree, we rely on other people’s accounts of reality to inform us of the nature of the universe. For example, we can’t all be scientists or engineers, but we can benefit from listening to their findings and research. In the same way, we often look to teachers, various leaders, and gurus to tell us about the path to enlightenment and the nature of the realm of spirit. While this input from experts is undeniably valuable, our own sense of the truth is ultimately the most important piece in processing the information we take in from external sources. In the end, we are the authorities in our own lives, and we have the final say on whether something generally held as true is true for us. Have you thought about how you process information and incorporate it into your own life?
We need only take a brief look at history to remember that the religious, scientific, and political establishments that ruled the day were all wrong about something at some point in time. This is the beauty of learning, experiencing, and evolving. While we sometimes wish we could just let someone else decide for us what is real and true, this is clearly not a viable option. The good news in all this is that we can confidently devote ourselves to making up our own minds about reality, taking everything that is handed to us as truth with a grain of salt. Technology has made it much easier to research, validate and always learn so we can be much more present in our thoughts, beliefs and make appropriate stances and changes upon our growth and learning in our lives.
This does not mean that we discount the information we receive from outside sources. It simply means that we are vigilant enough to question it before we decide whether or not we agree with it. All the information we receive is useful in the process of helping us make up our own minds. As we allow ourselves to sit with the things we learn, measuring them alongside our own inner sense of the truth and our own experiences, we find that making up our minds is a joyful process of integration that grows us into stronger, smarter, more engaged human beings.
Keep fighting the good fights in learning, standing up for your beliefs and always striving to be better than you are today.
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Reconnecting With Friends
When fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason.
Every person that passes through our lives makes a contribution to our life stories. There are those who play large roles and make deep impressions, but sometimes a brief special appearance before life takes them in another direction creates a meaningful connection. It is a rare gift when they suddenly reappear in our lives after a long absence. With the worldwide pandemic, this reset the dynamic of relationships in a major way. Social distancing has been very tough on most of us and we have had to get creative, work harder than we thought, and be vigilant in maintaining our relationships with others. Social media helps in many ways but it isn’t the same as being in person with those you love.
Though the world may seem full of more people than we could ever know, we are often drawn to people with similar energy, which brings us together time and time again. On first meeting, the characters in our life stories may seem familiar. We may know each other from past lives or perhaps we merely recognize the energy of a kindred spirit. But when fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason. They may act as messengers, reminding us of a part of ourselves we have forgotten to nurture. They might appear to give us a chance to react in a new way to an old situation. They may even bring up unresolved issues so that we may complete them, giving us the chance to move forward on our life path. Whether old friends, previous romances, or once and future partners, their reappearance is more than mere chance. They may never know what they bring into our lives, but the renewed contact is a gift. Have you thought on how you want to rekindle relationships as the restrictions are lifted? Or even once things are healthy and becoming more familiar to our visions of normalcy?
Maybe you are meant to initiate contact by seeking out old friends, new friends or even revisit how you deal with people as a whole. If old friends come to mind or into your dreams, use their appearance as an excuse to get in touch. If an old song or movie reminds you of them, reach out to share the gift of renewed contact. Wherever you fall in the circle of connection and reconnection, be sure to look beyond the surprise of the moment to enjoy the deeper gift that this revelation brings. As my grandma always used to say, a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. Be safe, my friends, but be prepared for a new world that we can all create as the world gets healthier and back on track. But in the meantime, cards, emails, waving and all of those soft touches are delicious to the lonely and only take a moment to do.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Treasures From Our Past
When we became adults, we added layers to our inner child… but he/she is still in there.
Deep within each of us lives the child we once were. For most of us, our inner child lies hidden beneath the layers we’ve put on in order to become adults. In our rush to put on grown-up clothing and live adult lives, we may have forgotten the wisdom and innocence we possessed when we were children. In meditation, we can connect with our inner child and reclaim/revisit what we have forgotten.
You can start by finding a photo of yourself as a child to look at for a few moments. School photos often work well to help you connect with this part of you. Sit in a relaxed position, close your eyes, and start taking deep breaths. Set the intention that you are going to connect with your inner child. Wait for an image of yourself as a child to appear in your mind’s eye. See your grown-up self hugging your inner child. Listen to what your inner child has to say. Perhaps your inner child wants to give you the answer to a question that you’ve been mulling over. After all, you never needed to look outside yourself when you were a child to know how you felt or what was true for you. You always knew the answers. There also may be an ache from a childhood wound that you can now heal by talking to your inner child and offering them the wisdom and perspective that comes with maturity. Or maybe you’ve merely forgotten how to see the world with childlike wonder and hope, and your inner child would like you to remember how. Tell your inner child that you love them and will keep them safe. Embrace your inner child and tell them that you are always there for them. Allow your inner child to always be there for you.
Using meditation to connect with your inner child is very useful, but you can also connect with your inner child even when you aren’t in meditation. Treat yourself to a playdate, ice cream, or a walk in the park. Let yourself laugh and play more. Give yourself permission to be as wise as your inner child so you can stop focusing on what isn’t important and start living as if every moment is precious. Your life will be filled with more laughter and fun. This is ever so important now, with how heavy the world is. There is so much trauma, drama, fear and uncertainty right in our faces on the daily that it can feel suffocating. Whimsy can help. Find what fun things genuinely cause you to smile and to feel happy – even if it is just for a moment….and DO MORE OF THAT!
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
One of our most popular historical features has been members sharing their own Personal Roads to Humanism. You may find it interesting to compare and contrast with your own personal experiences you encountered on your own Journey. Two such Journeys are included in the newsletter as a sample. You can see them along with 20 other versions by following this link.
Since I was born in 1985, the United States has not been a particularly ideal place to grow up and become an adult. Being raised in a devoutly conservative LDS/Mormon working-poor family, I became a first-generation college student at 18 by taking on far more debt than I feel I will ever be able to repay. I left the LDS/Mormon faith tradition at age 21, became a humanist by reading about the histories of world religious traditions, and eventually also became a Buddhist, through personal study, and joined the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) as an avowedly religious humanist who believes deeply in the capacity of human beings to create a better world, together.
I am not a particularly ‘preachy’ religious humanist/atheist, as I value many aspects of religious traditions and practices found around the world and throughout history—I do not tend to care so much what others believe but find how we act a much more relevant and compelling measure of whether that person is someone I can respect, trust, and work with to make this world better. Since experiencing my ‘crisis of faith,’ I also then experienced other ‘crises of identity,’ realizing that I was in fact liberal – not conservative; and that I was queer, not straight!
These perspectives put me in a complicated sort of non-category, as I would both consider myself part of ‘the nones’ and others in the U.S. who do not identify with any religious tradition/community, as well as an active Buddhist and Unitarian Universalist. I do not believe in a god/gods, but I do have faith (in humanity), and I am an active member and participant in my local UU church community.
As we are all reflecting at the beginning of this new decade, what will happen in the next 10 years, in the U.S., globally, and in our own personal lives—encourage everyone to take a moment and reflect not only on what will be happening this decade, but on what has happened in the past five. Who is it that has been predominantly in charge of dictating what is and is not taught as ‘the history of our country’ and ‘the history of our world?’ And if the stories that we have been brought up learning are turning out to not be as true as we once believed, what can we, each and every one of us, do to lift up the voices and perspectives of Black people, Indigenous people, and all people of color?
I hope you will consider taking time this year (and this decade) to learn the histories of the LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and other marginalized groups of people, here in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, so that we can all start learning our actual collective history, together. As we chart our way forward into the 2020’s, 2030’s, and beyond, we need to know where we all came from, if we are to have any hope of altering our course and charging forward in a new and better direction.
—Elaine Ball
Elaine is a former member of the HoU Board of Directors. She moved to Vermont following her dreams. Every time I interact with her I always let her know that we would welcome her back here with open arms in a heartbeat.
Quiet Change
Change can enter our lives quietly, and this change can be just as important as change we have worked hard for.
We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. Often, this desire leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. This can feel like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does seem to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened by way of grace.
As humans, sometimes we have relatively short attention spans, and we can easily lose track of time. We may worry about a seedling in a pot with our constant attention and watering for several weeks only to find ourselves enjoying the blooms it offers and wondering when that happened, and how we didn’t notice it. Nature, on the other hand, has infinite patience and stays with a thing all the way through its life. This doesn’t mean that our efforts play no part in the miracle of change–they do. It’s just that they are one small part of the picture that finally results in the flowering of a plant, the shifting of a relationship, the softening of our hearts.
The same laws that govern the growth of plants oversee our own internal and external changes. We observe, consider, work, and wonder, tilling the soil of our lives, planting seeds, and tending them. Sometimes the hard part is knowing when to stop and let go, handing it over to the universe. Usually this happens by way of distraction or disruption, our attention being called away to other more pressing concerns. And it is often at these times, when we are not looking, in the silence of nature’s embrace, that the miracle of change happens.
I once heard that all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage to do anything that feels impossible. The hardest part is starting, so 20 seconds breaks that barrier and gets you right into the process. Sometimes, the hardest part is just to let go of what you cannot change. Ironically, that is when change usually comes.
Change carries with it empowerment too. Whether it is change that comes quietly into your life or whether it was planned, or just a happy accident—view it with an open mind and enjoy the ride. It is worth it.
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Reviving A Community Tradition
Almost all cultures have used storytelling to pass down family history, using the power and energy of the human voice.
Ever since our ancestors could first communicate, we have gathered to share our stories. We have passed along creation tales and tragic stories of love lost. We have repeated accounts of real heroism and simple stories of family history. When our forebears lived closer to the land and to each other, the practice of storytelling was imbued with ritual and occasion. Members of the tribe would often gather around the fire to hear their genealogy recited aloud by an elder or master storyteller. Listeners could track how their own lives, and the lives of their parents, interwoven with the lives of the other tribe members, as everyone’s ancient relatives once played out similar life dramas together. It connected us to one another. It gave us roots in who we are and where we come from.
As a custom, some cultures’ storytellers repeat the same tale over and over because they believe that each time you hear it, you come to the story as a different person and view the plot and characters in a new light. Hearing the story over and over is a way to gauge where you have been and where you are now on your path of personal evolution. It also helps the younger generation learn the stories so that they can pass them to forthcoming generations, keeping the history alive.
When we hear others tell stories, we can laugh at their humorous adventures, feel the thrill of exciting encounters, see parts of ourselves in them, and learn from the challenges they face. Though most of our formal traditions of storytelling are lost, it does not mean we have to be without. We can begin new practices in our own families of listening to one another, of honoring our own journey, and witnessing the journeys of those around us. We can revive the fireside communal by gathering around the campfire or hearth with family and friends, sharing in stories. By building new practices of storytelling, we give ourselves and the ones we love an opportunity to draw ever closer in our shared human experience.
With technology, our communication styles and efforts have drastically changed, written word surpasses spoken word. We are quick to respond rather than think first and communicate deliberately. Communication is truly an art form. What suits you best? How do you want to be portrayed or remembered? Have you passed on stories from your life to others? We move fast and furiously in this life, as of late, can you slow down and reflect on your stories and who you would like to hear them?
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Not the Train?
We are starting the hear the refrain, “there is a light at the end of the tunnel!” The nagging worry is, “what if that light is the train?” I received my COVID vaccinations in September and October as part of the Pfizer Phase III Safety and Efficacy trial. I just found out in the middle of January that I did get the vaccine and not the Placebo. My wife, Cecilia, works at Lone Peak Hospital and she got her second jab January 20 and so we are both post-inoculation long enough to reasonably expect solid immunity against the Pandemic Virus. It is such a feeling of relief to go out in public, still following mandated masking and distancing norms, but NOT worrying about being infected. It truly is a great feeling of freedom. I hope that you all are also either fully vaccinated or in the process.
(healthy sigh of relief)
—Wayne Wilson
President’s Message
Hello Beloved friends,
As we enter the second month of 2021, it is already a big time of reflection. So much has happened this year. I have been thinking a lot about the state of our country, the past years, and the hope for the future. So much movement from both sides of aisle in our government has created chaos that for many is just overwhelming. We are living in unprecedented times for sure. I do not know about you, but I am tired of hearing that phrase because it has been so accurate in the accounting of the past four years. It will also be relevant for the next while too. We are just plain living and witnessing history. With a panQdemic and all that it entails, it has been hard to live our humanism the way we are accustomed to. We are having to be creative in our reach and basically, bring it back home. I admonish you to investigate your lives and see how you are doing it. Do you live by example? Are you reaching out to those closest to you – within the safe parameters for social distancing? Are you utilizing social media or other outlets to create harmony and peace rather than chaos and dissent? Are you just holding on for dear life? There is no right or wrong, just your own personal experience. But as time has told and will continue to tell – we all need community to draw strength from. Our humanist community is the same. We need each other. Check out our FB page. Share your stories there, funny pictures or other things that we can all draw strength from. It is part of our legacy and right now while we are physically far apart—we can still be connected as much as we would like.
We have witnessed the call to action for the insurrection that has occurred right here on US soil. It was awful, disgusting and unfortunately – not surprising given the temperature that was created to insight it. We have the power to call to action the exact opposite of it. A call to peace. A call for science. A call for truth. A call for Goodness and Hope.
Charles Darwin’s birthday is in a few days. I am so sad that we are not able to throw the party we have done for the past decade plus. But our safety is more important this year. So in lieu of it, we are including content from past celebrations in this newsletter.
I wish you the best my friends, hang in there. We are brave, we are strong, and we fight for what is true and fair.
Kindest regards, and have a blessed day.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Darwin Day Remembrance
HoU’s First Darwin Day 2008
What Would Darwin Do?
David N. Campbell is a retired university professor. He is founder and past president of the Center for Inquiry Community of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Currently, he becomes Charles Darwin for a weekly cable television show and for live performances. He prepared for this over a three year period, reading everything Darwin wrote that was available, including the four volume, From So Simple a Beginning edited by E.O. Wilson. He read Darwin’s On the Origin of Species three times. The article “What Would Darwin Do?” is a synopsis of some of the main points he makes during his presentations.
Quoting from the article: “When people proudly announce, as so many do, ‘I don’t believe in evolution.’ I politely reply, ‘Neither do I. No one believes in evolution. Evolution is science. It is not about believing in anything. We either know and understand–which is why you have these electric lights, and can expect to live beyond the age of 40–or we are in the process of knowing and understanding.’” In just a few words the author summarizes my philosophy of life. I think most humanists, agnostics, and scientists would agree with Darwin. The only message we can hope to pass on after our demise is what science has achieved, how it has transformed all our lives, and how much more there is to know and understand. There are no true alternatives, just a desperate longing for some hope to be spared, to be exempt from the reality we have finally come to know.
Darwin’s life was a transformation from a more standard philosophy of life to that of a scientist. Many people do not know that he completed a degree in theology before he became a naturalist, and before he journeyed around the world on the ship HMS Beagle. He, himself stated that early in the voyage of the Beagle he talked with his shipmates about his natural science studies from a biblical language, but by the end of the voyage he used a more “naturalistic” language.
Darwin struggled with his own religious hopes and yearnings for many years. Quoting again from the article: “There must be ‘something’ beyond this world. There has to be a creator, a mover.” Darwin went through this questioning acutely when his precious Annie died in his arms at age ten. Darwin wrote, “After that, I no longer accompanied Emma to church. I knew for sure then that there was no loving benefactor anywhere in this world or the universe. I was just beginning to understand. What obviously existed was the struggle to survive that I had observed.”
The article ends with Darwin’s admonishing us about others. “I know firsthand, as do all scientists, that it is not easy thinking, and perhaps we should consider the possibility that we can never expect everyone–or even most–to think in this fashion.
I would end with the admonishment; we need to expect others to think rationally, we really have no other choice.
—Craig Wilkinson, MD
What a Month it Was
For me January was a month with some good news mixed in with all the mayhem. It felt good early on as Amy and I were watching and waiting for President Biden to get sworn in. It gave us some real hope that some good things were going to start getting gone. We were also delighted to hear from John Kerry, who will be heading up the efforts on climate change. In his appearances on MSNBC that I have seen, he has explained and iterated quite well the many ways we can move into a better, cleaner more efficient future that will also provide a lot of good jobs in clean energy infrastructure. It also gave us some hope when Georgia voter changed the Senate majority to the democrats by voting in two democrats as senators.
Plus, since the January 20th we have had the pleasure of a daily briefing from the White House. After nearly four years without one we kind of forgot what it was like to have truthful information relayed and questions answered.
We were happy that Amy got her first COVID-19 vaccine shot and the V.A. hospital made me an appointment for Jan. 30 for my first shot. It helps to relieve the anxiety a little.
But then there was the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building incited by Donald Trump and his boot licking Republican followers. But I really do not want to rehash what happened except to say that I consider them all traitors, seditionists, and just plain criminals. Take your pick or possibly all the above. Instead, I thought I would relay a couple of items that show just how really stupid some of if not most of these people are.
One you may all be aware of is the U.S. Republican Representative who says that the shooting at Sandyhook, Las Vegas, and elsewhere were fake. She also believes that the wildfires out west were caused by Jewish space lasers.
But someone I know of locally has related that “Donald Trump won the election and is still president but is governing from Florida and that all the stuff you see about President Biden is fake and is being produced at a sound studio somewhere.”
That is just bat shit crazy. How the hell do you have a rational discussion with someone that stupid. You really cannot.
We must be clear about a few things. On the political spectrum between the far-right and the far-left, conservative or liberal, republican or democrat we know who is to blame. It is not liberals who have tried to disenfranchise voters, who have called the election a fraud without any evidence, who have stormed the Capitol with intent to kill, who continue to threaten anybody who disagrees with them, who still suck up to the biggest liar and worst president ever. It is people on the right side of the political spectrum plain and simple.
Getting back to climate change, the American Humanist Association sent me an email awhile back regarding Climate change and their efforts and ways for us to help and donate. I will donate through them along with a few other organizations. I trust them to put the money to work where it will do the most good.
Even when it seems like you have nowhere left to turn, there is a solution waiting for you. Always.
The journey that each human being makes through earthly existence can have hardship as often as it is touched by joy. When we encounter adversity, the stress we feel can erode our optimism, eventually convincing us that the issues we face cannot be overcome and are part of our identity. In truth, there is no situation so dire, no challenge so great, and no choice so bewildering that it cannot be overcome. Though we may believe that all avenues have been closed to us or that our most conscientious efforts will come to naught, we are never without feasible options. Remember, you are brave, strong, and capable. The best course of action may be veiled in doubt, but it is there. When we are honest with ourselves with regard to this simple fact, we can overcome anything because we will never stop looking for a solution to the challenges before us. Be brave. Be strong. Be curious and find the solution.
Self-trust paired with a sturdy plan is the ultimate antidote to adversity’s tendency to inspire confusion in the human mind. As difficult as the obstacle seems, it is no match for the love of a supportive universe that has been a part of your life since the day of your birth and will be with you forevermore. Try not to be misguided by your fear as this gives rise to the notion that there are problems without solutions. If you believe in your capabilities and dedicate yourself to the creation of some form of resolution, you will be surprised to discover that paths that were once closed to you miraculously open. Even if all you can do is change your perspective to turn a struggle into an opportunity to grow, you will have found the hope that is an inherent element of all hardship.
Remember that your destiny is a product of your own creation. Even when it seems you have nowhere left to turn, there is a solution waiting for you. You are in control. The only insurmountable obstacles are the ones you create in your own mind—and these can only exert power over you if you let them by not trying to find the solution. Uncertainty will always be a part of your existence, but perseverance and mindfulness will never fail to see you through to the other side of hardship where joy can thrive. Try and remember that no matter what life places at your feet, there is absolutely no situation that cannot be resolved with time, love, and friendship. Even if that means involving your personal tribe to help. I send you love, hope and peace into the new year. You got this!
—Melanie White-Curtis, President, Humanists of Utah
President’s Report
Blessings humanists and all our fellow friends and neighbors. 2020 has been a doozy of a year that has changed our planet for sure. It has moved us, as a human race, to take a hard look at things and reflect. It has been life altering for most and definitely inconvenient for everyone. But, that said, it has given us so many opportunities for growth, change, compassion, reflection, rest, and other beautiful attributes during this storm. I hope you have found comfort in things that may have been forgotten, like relationships, home, cooking, cleaning or whatever you did not have time for before. A slower pace has been a blessing, even if it did not seem like it.
During this year, our beautiful group has undertaken some very big changes. The biggest one of all is the fact that we were no longer able to meet in person and we were not prepared to shift to a virtual, technological transition quickly. Thank you for hanging in with us…. it is coming and we are learning so that we can continue the good fight in this new dynamic we are building.
As with many people in the world, our president, Jeff Curtis, has had major health issues and has stepped down from his position as president to focus on getting better and will be in a more advisory role on the board of directors. I, being the Vice President, will be stepping into the President role for 2021 so we can maintain our vision that was set by the Board a few years ago and we can continue the momentum of our virtual changes and evolution. We, as a board, have stayed the election for one years’ time, due to most of what we had planned being rolled into 2021 due to the COVID -19 pandemic that stopped it all this year.
I am very proud of this group and for the resilience we have showed and that you, as humanists have proven, this year during elections and in helping those in need. We are going to take this group to the next step and will be heavily focusing on humanitarian aspects, ways to help our neighbors, our country and our own families and selves. We are optimistic that 2021 will be a year of growth, of compassion and that we will rise like a phoenix from the ashes of 2020. It served it’s purpose. But now is the time to rise into who we really are as people. I admonish you, to reflect on your personal goals for 2021. What are they? Who will they help? How active do you want to be in your community when it is safe? What does your self-care look like? All of these things are important.
In the coming weeks, we will be sending out a survey so we can update and digitize our records. This is just for us to better serve you. It will be kept within the organization and only a few key people have access to it. You will not be spam blasted, upsold, or pandered to.
We would love your participation, your ideas, and for you to feel that you can lean into this group for support, friendship, and love.
I wish you the very best in 2021 and moving forward. Be brave, be safe and be well.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
How Does Complaining Affect You?
When we spend all our time complaining, we are in essence in constant destroy mode rather than building mode. This has been a test on most of us this past year.
We all know someone who has elevated the process of complaining to a high art. Sometimes funny, sometimes exhausting, these people can find a problem just about anywhere. In its more evolved form, complaining is simply the ability to see what is not working, in one’s own life or in the external world, and it can be quite useful if followed to its natural conclusion—finding a solution and applying it. However, many of us do not get that far, and we find that complaining has become an end in itself. In small doses, this is not a big problem, but if complaining has become a huge part of our identities, it may be time to take a good look at how we are spending our energy. Are you a glass half full or half empty kind of person?
Complaining is a person’s way of acknowledging that they are not happy with the way things are. In a metaphorical way, when we complain or criticize, we are tearing down an undesirable structure to make room for something new. But if all we do is tear down, never bothering to summon the creative energy required to create something new, we are not fulfilling the process. In fact, we are at risk for becoming a stagnant and destructive force in our own lives and in the lives of the people we love. Another issue with complaining is that we sometimes tend to focus on other people, whom we cannot change, as a way of deflecting attention from the one person we can change—ourselves. So, transforming complaining into something useful is a twofold process that begins with turning our critical eye to look at things we can do something about, and then taking positive action. This takes a concerted effort to flip the perspective. Be prepared to work at it.
When we find ourselves complaining, the last thing we need to do is get down on ourselves. Instead, we can begin by noticing that we are in the mode of wanting to make some changes. But rather than lashing out at somebody or an organization, we can look for an appropriate place to channel this energy—not our neighbor’s house, but possibly parts of our own. Finally, we can ask ourselves the positive question of what we would like to create in the place of whatever it is we want to tear down. When we do this, we channel a negative habit into a creative process, thus using our energy to change the world around us in a positive way. I like to add, “but what if….”and then add a solution to the end of my complaint. No matter how absurd it may sound. Sometimes I will throw out the most ridiculous idea at the end to make it funny but moreover to switch the negative vibe to a positive one. Have fun catching yourself and see how to be brave and flip the dialogue. It can be life changing.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
New Year, New You!
When you look back on 2021 a year from now, what do you hope to see?
Will this be the year you make some changes to help our planet? The year you divest from fossil fuels and embrace sustainable spending? Will you be changing your diet to incorporate a healthier lifestyle? Will you volunteer time and energy in helping your community be a better place to live? Whatever that means to you?
Dear Friend, 2021 will be what you make it. You have the power to change things. Give yourself a list with a few things, make a simple plan on how to start and just do them. Be brave. Steps forward in your goals can be small or huge. There is no right or wrong answer. You got this! You can do it. I believe in you.
And whatever you choose to do this year, we wish you a great one.
—Melanie White-Curtis President, Humanists of Utah
Pandemic Continues
Hello freethinkers, hope your holidays have been enjoyable. I don’t have a lot to say this month without whining like I have been lately. But I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year. It is still going to be a tough year to come with the pandemic and all. But for me, the best thing about this year has been that we have voted out Donald Trump and the rolling out of the COVID-19 vaccine.
I am hoping the V.A. will be able to get me vaccinated as soon as possible, that will ease my anxiety a great deal. The V.A. is quite efficient and is set up to do vaccinations, unlike the dysfunctional distribution of the vaccine by the Trump administration. But here I go whining and complaining again. But I cannot help it. The count down until January 20th feels like it is going agonizingly slow. Poor old Donald is starting to look rather pathetic in his attempts to stay in office.
To change the subject, I want to say I hope we get some meaningful precipitation soon. It is distressingly dry out there. Enough so that the next time it is above freezing for a couple of days, I am tempted to do some watering. As, hopefully, this pandemic starts to ease up, we can get back to focusing on climate change. It was encouraging to see the new president state the need to address climate change immediately. It is a global problem, it’s a national and local problem, and it effects all humans. Climate change is where I think I can be of some help by being an advocate for action and by contributing financially where it will do the best good. Our humanist chapter is one way to get the word out and find groups to support. I am going to renew my efforts in this area. Like they say time is running out.
Once again, Happy New Year, stay safe, wear a mask, stay home (for now) and we will see you sometime this coming year.
—Bob Lane
Chaplin’s Corner
Darkest Night: A Solstice Vigil
As 2020 ends, for most of us, the sense of relief is actually literal. This year has been HARD. It has been overwhelming, scary, lonely, and rough. Moving forward through this vigil can be repeated in helping you start 2021 with a positive mindset, full of promise, hope and starting fresh. We wish you all a very happy holiday season and the very best for the coming year! Cheers!
The Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, is a fitting time to sit with the darkness and challenge, to face it, name it and honor it. What we face, what we name, what we have relationship with. We can master and integrate.
As 2020 ends, for most of us, the sense of relief is actually literal. This year has been HARD. It has been overwhelming, scary, lonely, and rough. We wish you all a very happy holiday season and the very best for the coming year! Cheers!
Jared Anderson, Humanist Celebrant created a vigil that you can participate in. You will find it on our website under Resources then Videos. It takes about 20 minutes; you can use the following props:
A Candle for each person
A lighter of some sort
Small pieces of paper and pen
A surface you can safely burn paper on
Moving forward through this vigil can be repeated in helping you start 2021 with a positive mindset, full of promise, hope and starting fresh.
