When we say, “I see,” to show that we understand or we ask people to “walk tall,” we aren’t literally talking about eyesight or the use of one’s legs. Yet, those words can make people who cannot see or cannot walk feel they are not part of the group.

Jason Shelton, a UU musician, wrote a song, “Standing on the Side of Love.” The song had been popular for a few years when it was sung in a large worship service at a UUA General Assembly. Yet, this time, some people said they felt excluded or angry. They said that the lyrics implied that “standing” is something everyone’s body should be able to do.

Jason felt called to fix the situation. He wanted his song to help, not hurt. He came up with new lyrics and a new title, “Answering the Call of Love.”

Wondering Questions

• When have you been hurt by words? What did you do?
• Can you remember a time you noticed words hurting someone else? What did you do?

Additional Activities

Download the Fall 2017 UUWorld Families Pages (pdf) for more activities.