Happy New Year. I can still say that, right? I love for the "new year" to extend as long as possible. It is such a great reminder that every new day is a gift of time. That every beginning is filled with hope. That even in the light of the past, we can imagine a future.

The poet Carl Dennis, in one of my favorite poems, acknowledges the challenge of living with the truth of loss and death. A great poem for the start of the new year. May you be inspired in the coming weeks to make big plans for your life.

Yours,
Mary Katherine

A Maxim
by Carl Dennis

To live each day as if it might be the last
Is an injunction that Marcus Aurelius
Inscribes in his journal to remind himself
That he, too, however privileged, is mortal,
That whatever bounty is destined to reach him
Has reached him already, many times.
But if you take his maxim too literally
And devote your mornings to tinkering with your will,
Your afternoons and evenings to saying farewell
To friends and family, you'll come to regret it.
Soon your lawyer won't fit you into his schedule.
Soon your dear ones will hide in a closet
When they hear your heavy step on the porch.
And then your house will slip into disrepair.
If this is my last day, you'll say to yourself,
Why waste time sealing drafts in the window frames
Or cleaning gutters or patching the driveway?
If you don't want your heirs to curse the day
You first opened Marcus's journals,
Take him simply to mean you should find an hour
Each day to pay a debt or forgive one,
Or write a letter of thanks or apology.
No shame in leaving behind some evidence
You were hoping to live beyond the moment.
No shame in a ticket to a concert seven months off,
Or, better yet, two tickets, as if you were hoping
To meet by then someone who'd love to join you,
Two seats near the front so you catch each note. 

The Climate Action Group, also known on Facebook and LinkedIn as Religious Action on Climate, knew it needed a single name. That's when UUCF member Mike Casey stepped forward. Casey, a member since 2004, is president of Tigercomm, a clean energy consulting firm. He led group members through two exercises - one strategy session during which the group defined its mission and set its first-year goals, and a second session to create a new name in keeping with the new mission.

The group's members agreed that the new name should reflect their belief that there was a moral, spiritual responsibility to protect future generations and that it would organize churches, synagogues, temples and mosques in an alliance. This wouldn't simply be an educational effort - it would also work toward solutions. The group also believes that its first goal should be to bring about change in Fairfax County government that would have a positive impact on climate change.

These sessions and clarified mission led to a new 15-second "elevator speech":

"We are a growing faith alliance organized for climate change solutions as an urgent spiritual responsibility. Fairfax County leads in many areas. We can also lead in common-sense climate solutions that save taxpayers money and protect our quality of life."
 
Distilling the elevator speech, a new name was chosen: Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions.The group encourages your participation and input. Click here for meeting information.