Handout 3: Story "An Extraordinary Evening"
Once upon a time on an ordinary evening, a circle of ordinary people gathered, set up metal folding chairs in a circle at a Unitarian Universalist congregation, and shared stories from their lives.Peter told of his first time attending an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting. At the AA meeting, Peter said, people introduced themselves, told their stories. At the AA gathering, Peter was uneasy. But after he spoke, the circle of AA participants clapped and welcomed him to the group.
Molly told of joining with four people she had just met at a party to spontaneously play bongos and flutes. Together they found their rhythm and made music as one body.
Preston told of crying in the shower when he learned his grandmother had died.
Randy spoke of his partner, during labor and delivery, pushing so hard her faced turned purple as he witnessed his baby's arrival into the world.
Ramona spoke of her feeling at the time of adopting her son. Though he was not born of her, he is her child. She said she was swept over with a feeling that anyone could be her child. Anyone.
Yassir spoke of his feeling of oneness when he was alone in the brilliant, white snow-filled mountains.
Jim remembered a childhood experience of watching a spider kill a caterpillar. Though as a child he didn't have the words for it, he knew the oneness of creation and destruction, of life and death.
Judi told of being with people from a variety of religions and backgrounds, living all over the city, working together, hauling and stacking sandbags during a flood of her hometown.
Maria spoke, beginning by saying "I can't speak in front of people." She went on to speak of being Hispanic and being raised by a loving white Mormon couple, never feeling like she belonged. She thought she had said all she had to say. She was silent and then got in touch with more. "My whole life," she said, "I have been searching for home."
As the people listened, as people looked at one another's faces, as eyes met eyes, it was as if they were all clapping for each other and saying, "Welcome, welcome, welcome." An extraordinary evening with extraordinary people.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
