Musings for Mortals Pop-Up Book Club
after lunch (Noon - 1:30pm) on 4 Sundays:
Nov. 2, 9, 16 and 23
“Life is messy, and we know it will end and that’s okay. Let me tell you why.”
With that surprising “teaser,” Sue was off and running on Sunday, October 5th with some practical life tips she gleaned from Meditations for Mortals, the new book by author, former Guardian columnist and recovering productivity guru Oliver Burkeman. (See the video of this service HERE).
Both Burkeman and Sue question assumptions a lot of us take for granted. Like that we should all be striving, strenuously and pretty much endlessly, to realize our “full potential.” (Which you’ll recognize as rhyming with our UU tradition of celebrating our potential for growth – even transformation!)
The problem is, the not-so subtle message is we’re never quite cooked, and never will be. It hints at the distasteful idea of “original sin” that some of us were raised with. Let that go. You needn’t earn or prove your worth. You’re better to accept your humanity, and build from there.
Feeling a load off already? That’s exactly the feeling Burkman – and Sue – intended! ‘Cause here’s the thing. Potential is infinite; time is not. So let’s figure out how to make the best of the time we have, without making life feel like a burden.
Start by asking yourself: What if this is all easier than you think? Maybe the secret of life isn’t to jam down even harder on the accelerator, but rather to ease up on the brake. You might just get the same or better results with a lot less effort.
If you’re intrigued and want to keep the conversation going, Sue is offering a pop-up book club. Beginning November 2, after lunch, in the Sanctuary, Sue will host the first of four discussion groups about the book. One section per week, for four Sundays in a row. Should be fun to share what works!
Contact Janni or Sue if you’d like to be part of it. (Or just show up.)
PS. Sue will have copies of Burkeman’s entertaining Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts available at the church on Thanksgiving Sunday. Plenty of time to read the first week of Burkman’s 28 practical “musings” before November 2. [Cost: $28.00 (including tax), which is 25% off the regular price.]