Life is full of hard edges and complicated choices. Braver/Wiser gives you weekly message of courage and compassion for life as it is. Every Wednesday we deliver an original written reflection and brief prayer, grounded in Unitarian Universalism. Join the Braver/Wiser community and sign up today!
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8
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I feel sad to lose a spiritual practice that I can now recognize, honor, and appreciate.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | June 2, 2021 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Direct Experience, Letting Go, Secular, Worship -
People of color—and other marginalized people—can’t just want things to be different. It has to be everyone wanting things to be different for everyone.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | May 29, 2019 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Anti-Oppression, Commitment, Direct Experience, Humanism, Purpose, Secular -
Traditions and habits can be changed or broken and that’s not always bad. It doesn’t mean we didn’t learn or like what we did in the past, it just means that we moved on to something else and that’s okay too.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | January 16, 2019 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Body, Children, Choice, Direct Experience, Generations, History, Parents, Privilege -
A white woman pulled over and ran over to me with a shopping bag. As I looked down at the bag, I had very mixed emotions.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | November 14, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Caring, Connections, Contemplation, Direct Experience, Faith, Generosity, Grace, Gratitude, Kindness, Parents, Race/Ethnicity -
My heart broke the day my son stood in the bathroom crying. He handed me a pair of scissors and told me to just cut it. I told him how beautiful his hair was and how sad I would be to see him cut it.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | April 18, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Beauty, Body, Children, Courage, Direct Experience, Gender, Humanism, Mothers, Parents, Race/Ethnicity, Secular, Self-Respect, Strength -
I spent time feeling embarrassed—that somehow I had failed—because I had filed for divorce. It’s been over nine years now, and I wake up every single day happy with my decision.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | February 14, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Children, Direct Experience, Family, Love, Mothers, Parents, Secular -
My oldest child was confused: why would no one stop and help us? Even though people weren’t stopping to help us, my son said, he wanted to be more like me and stop to help someone anyway.Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | January 3, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Caring, Character, Children, Compassion, Conscience, Direct Experience, Generations, Integrity, Living Our Faith, Mothers, Parents -
“It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of the village.” —Elaine Hall, educator and parenting coach My three-year-old is almost completely nonverbal. Every day when she gets off the bus, I ask her the same question: I ask her how her day...Reflection | By Rayla D. Mattson | November 22, 2017 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Acceptance, Children, Direct Experience, Disability, Joy, Mothers, Multiculturalism, Parents