A is for Acceptance

Today was a big day for me, that is why I chose to wait for my blog from Friday to today.  Today was the day I took the leap from being a "Friend" of a place I have been frequenting to a "Member".  I had discovered a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship near me about 4 years ago.  This was about a year or so into my Pagan and Goddess readings and I was still struggling to find a place that I could belong and agree with many of their principles.  I found this group from some random searchings I was doing online about Pagans.  I had found the website for the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, otherwise known as CUUPS.  That lead me to the fellowship I found in my area. 

I have a hard time calling it a "church", so we'll stick with fellowship.  How nice it was to walk in and feel accepted for who you are, not what you chose to believe or hold as your spiritual practice.  How refreshing it was to read the 7 principles and think, where have you been, UUs, my whole life?  A place where they want you to find and search for your own path, wherever that may lead, as long as you respect others?  It was certainly kismet that I found this place at this time in my spiritual path.

Unitarian Universalist Principles

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

From: http://www.uua.org/beliefs/principles/index.shtml

From the time I was in and started meeting people in the CUUPS group I was accepted and treated with dignity and respect.  Unfortunately the group was apparently in the process of failing, but I kept going and maintained friendship with many of the Pagans I had met in that group as well as others of a earth centered spirituality I was finding.  To talk to people intelligently about differences of belief, ideas, and wisdoms and not be in a huge debacle because I didn't believe Jesus was my savior, wow!  I felt at home, accepted.

Acceptance there led me to another group I found via a friend and the website Meetup.com.  I have found that Pagans can be one of the most accepting groups, they accept your flaws, your ticks (my OCD at times....), your talents, your knowledge, and take you for you.  Many of the Pagans I have met have not asked much of me but an ear, maybe some help organizing something, but never to compromise myself.  I find it comforting that in our diverse set of backgrounds that make up the umbrella of groups labeled Pagan, I have never felt unaccepted.

And that acceptance led to my leap today, my leap to commit to a group larger than myself, my local UU Fellowship, that I will share with them my talents, wisdoms, and self to better our community, including my Pagan community, as a whole.