When you are in the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is like sitting in front of a fire that does not burn you, but suffuses you with its qualities — its warmth, glow, and color. And as you are there, in the presence of the Spirit, you also become suffused with the divine attributes of compassion, gentleness, and love, without your doing anything about it except to be there. You are loved and you are held in this love. — Bishop Desmond Tutu, South African cleric and activist

This session focuses on the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and openness to the forces that create and uphold life," expressed in children's language as "the sense of wonder we all share." Participants consider human nature, with a focus on the wonder and awe of finding beauty in unexpected places. The session affirms that, although humans are imperfect creatures, with work and time and love we can turn our blemishes into strength and beauty. A story illustrates the concept, telling of a gem carver who transforms a deeply scratched diamond by crafting the scratch into a beautiful flower. Participants decorate wooden treasure boxes, incorporating the natural knots and blemishes into the design. We add a star to our Night Sky that says, "We learn from our sense of wonder."

Goals

This session will:

• Introduce the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "the sense of wonder we all share"
• Teach that qualities which appear as faults can be turned into strengths and encourage participants to turn blemishes into beauty in their own lives
• Reinforce the idea that despite human failings we are all loved and loveable.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Learn the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "the sense of wonder we all share"
• Transform apparent flaws into beauty, strength, or other positive attributes, in a game and a craft activity
• Understand the possibility of beauty in imperfection through a story, "The Scratched Diamond"
• Explore ways a human characteristic we usually perceive as negative can also have a positive side, e.g., stubbornness can also be persistence.