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Braver/Wiser: Courage and Compassion for Life as It Is

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 - 20 of 28

  • Black and white photo of only the arms of dark-skinned people, raised as if praying in a church pew
    When someone lists Unitarians or Universalists, they usually name white men. Never anyone Black like me.
    Reflection | By Connie Simon | February 28, 2024 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #8thPrinciple, #BlackHistoryMonth, #BlackLivesMatter, 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Generations, History, Identity, Race/Ethnicity, Self-Respect, Truth, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, Universalism, Worship
  • A Black child around 8 years old stares down at a desk covered in books, with a dismayed or tired look on their face.
    From the beginning, the story of Black people in America has been told through the lens of white supremacy.
    Reflection | By Bev Spears | February 21, 2024 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #BlackHistoryMonth, #BlackLivesMatter, Generations, History, Justice, Race/Ethnicity, Truth, Worship
  • Outdoors on a lawn, a group of Black friends are seated as if at a picnic. They're smiling and laughing with abundant joy.
    If you’re seeking sacred Black “text” in our tradition, you have to examine the way our Black ancestors lived.
    Reflection | By Takiyah Nur Amin | February 7, 2024 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #8thPrinciple, #BlackHistoryMonth, #BlackLivesMatter, 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Anti-Oppression, Covenant, Generations, History, Identity, Living Our Faith, Race/Ethnicity, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, Universalism, Worship
  • Through a thick forest, a reindeer peeks out at the camera
    Spirits of winter, I celebrate you!
    Reflection | By Erica Shadowsong | December 13, 2023 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Animals, Earth-Centered, Generations, Goddess, Imagination, Spiritual Practice, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule, Worship
  • Chrissy's son Kaleb kneels on a barn floor, using a saw on some lumber.
    God of our ancestors, may we find the ways in which we can connect across generations.
    Reflection | By Chrissy Bushyager | November 1, 2023 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Children, Direct Experience, Family, Generations, History, Parents, Worship
  • A small child clutches a sandwich in their hands, showing fingernails painted light blue.
    We are the hands and feet of love. And sometimes its fingernails, too.
    Reflection | By Joanna Fontaine Crawford | May 10, 2023 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Body, Children, Direct Experience, Gender, Generations, Imagination, Unitarian Universalism, Worship
  • A Latinx mother and daughter embracing while cooking in the kitchen at home
    Food carries the love, wisdom, and stories of survival of a people.
    Reflection | By Tania Márquez | February 8, 2023 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Family, Food, Generations, Identity, Worship
  • A small Black girl smiles, sitting at a table. Next to her, back to the camera, is a man we imagine to be her grandfather.
    Let us be grateful for the vital force that wakes us and moves us.
    Reflection | By Melissa Jeter | January 25, 2023 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, America, Body, Generations, Love, Race/Ethnicity, Worship
  • A crowd of people in México in a posada procession outdoors.
    Every time we open ourselves to one another, we become more human.
    Reflection | By Tania Márquez | December 14, 2022 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Children, Christianity, Community, Generations, Inclusion, International, Race/Ethnicity, Worship
  • A broad, green leaf held by a Black woman's hands. A small tattoo of a heart is on her wrist.
    Love is reaching through the generations with expectations that I live through challenging times.
    Reflection | By Melissa Jeter | November 2, 2022 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Direct Experience, Earth, Fall, Family, Generations, Healing, Love, Presence, Worship
  • Seen from the chest up, a side view of three generations: a Black son, father, and grandfather standing side by side.
    I rise on the shoulders of ancestors whose names I can not know.
    Reflection | By Glen Thomas Rideout | September 14, 2022 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #8thPrinciple, #BlackHistoryMonth, #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), America, Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Direct Experience, Family, Generations, History, Oppression, Race/Ethnicity, Secular, Self-Respect, Unitarian Universalism, Worship
  • Against a sunset, an adult holds up a child with their arms outflung joyfully
    We have a holy obligation to bring about paradise on this earth; each generation helps us do that.
    Reflection | By Nathan Ryan | June 15, 2022 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Children, Father's Day, Fathers, Generations, Hope, Mothers, Parents, Purpose, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Worship
  • The hands of a Black person cradle the new lettuce leaves growing in their garden.
    Growing connects me to ancestors who had their hands in the dirt because it was keeping them alive.
    Reflection | By Melissa Jeter | May 25, 2022 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Abundance, Earth, Earth-Centered, Family, Food, Food Justice, Generations, Growth, Humanism, Nature, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Secular, Spiritual Practice, Worship
  • In a kitchen, a mother with an iPod and headphones dances and sings while her teenage daughter also dances.
    Spirit of Life, remind me to release that which no longer serves me so that I may be present to joy.
    Reflection | By Katie Romano Griffin | May 5, 2021 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Children, Family, Generations, Home, Mothers, Parents, Worship
  • A black-and-white photo, taken from above, of the photographer's legs outstreched over water, and his young son nestled on top of his legs.
    Sometimes love is simply letting someone else like what they like.
    Reflection | By Nathan Ryan | April 14, 2021 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Children, Connections, Direct Experience, Fathers, Generations, Joy, Love, Parents, Searching, Worship
  • A black man in a dark space looks sideways into the camera. Across his face, in colored light, the letters A G C T represent DNA nucleotides.
    I've adopted the practice of spiritual reconnection with my ancestors to heal intergenerational trauma.
    Reflection | By Jabari S. Jones | February 10, 2021 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), America, Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Direct Experience, Diversity, Generations, Healing, History, International, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Race/Ethnicity, Transformation, Trauma, Worship
  • Two hands cupping the flame at the top of a taper candle.
    Sometimes, there is no reprieve from the pain of this world. Sometimes, it is too big and too obvious to ignore.
    Reflection | By HP Rivers | October 21, 2020 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Caring, Christianity, Connections, Family, Generations, God, Goddess, Paganism, Presence, Sorrow, Spiritual Practice, Worship
  • Washington, DC, USA - June 19, 2020: A young protester and celebrant of Juneteenth holds a sign that reads "I am my ancestors' wildest dream" at Black Lives Matter Plaza / Lafayette Square
    None of us would be here were it not for those who lived and won a fight that they were not meant to survive.
    Reflection | By Daniel Gregoire | September 23, 2020 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, Direct Experience, Family, Generations, History, Humanism, Justice, Living Our Faith, Race/Ethnicity, Unitarian Universalism, Worship
  • A black parent embraces their child, who is smiling in to the camera
    One day, I’ll have to care for my mother as she once cared for me. I’m not ready to handle the truth that our relationship must change.
    Reflection | By Erica Shadowsong | September 9, 2020 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: Caring, Child Dedication, Children, Coming of Age, Coming-of-Age, Direct Experience, Fear, Generations, Growth, Humanism, Love, Mother's Day, Mothers, Parents, Secular, Worship
  • A small child plays with dollhouse furniture in front of a dollhouse.
    Our conversations about the history of our country—the actions of our ancestors—can be made new and relevant and understandable. We can and must have these conversations.
    Reflection | By Heather Rion Starr | June 17, 2020 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Activism, America, Children, Direct Experience, Generations, History, Humanism, Parents, Race/Ethnicity, Responsibility, Secular, Unitarian Universalism
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