“Far better, I believe, to be like children and open ourselves to every beautiful possibility,
for there is nothing our hearts can imagine that is not so.”
– William Kent Krueger, in his 2019 historical fiction novel, This Tender Land
Every month, All Peoples makes materials available to facilitate exploring a theological theme. Our April theme asks us to explore Embracing Possibility. It’s a theme which is simultaneously exciting and a bit intimidating.
Let’s begin by looking at where the word possibility originates. Possibility comes from the Latin, posse, meaning “to have power.” Embracing possibility is not just about believing something can happen or “having faith,” but also a matter of being empowered and gathering power.
Of all our themes so far this year, Embracing Possibility may be the most central to our faith. Possibility has distinguished Unitarian Universalists from our beginnings. As we look back at our history, when others saw sin at the core of human identity, we saw potential. When many were preaching that heaven was something only to be attained after death, we fell in love with the possibility of heaven on earth.
We were, and still are, the people who believed that which many people call God hadn’t given up on us and so we shouldn’t give up on each other or this world. It’s led to us being a people of “why not?” Why not give people another chance? Why not fight what seems like a losing battle? Why not risk a little failure? Or forgiveness? Why not trust in the possibility of something new?
But what about us personally? How open have you been recently to essentially asking yourself “Why not?” How open have you been recently to taking the risk, the vulnerability that embracing possibily inherently brings? As we honor our religion’s unwavering faith in what’s possible, we need to allow space for the reality that trusting possibility isn’t so easy for many of us.
We all tell ourselves stories about who we think we are and who others are. Sometimes the stories we tell ourselves are not really true. Sometimes that comes from imagined fear and needing to protect ourselves. There’s comfort in convincing yourself that the effort is hopeless; that way you don’t have to try and risk failure, hurt or disappointment, yet again.
All of which is to say that maybe embracing possibility has more to do with being able to embrace vulnerability and courage than we’ve thought. The work isn’t just about believing in possibility. It’s about being willing to take a risk.
Perhaps the core question this month isn’t simply “Are you ready to embrace possibility?” but “Who helps you and tends to your hurt when you risk possibility?” And “How do you help and support others to be vulnerable enough to risk possibility?”
The thread woven through all of this is the fundamental truth that no one makes it down the road of possibility alone. And perhaps that’s the real secret: remembering that “Why not?” is something we all have to say together. It’s how we grow and transform not only as individuals but as a community of faith.
One of the best ways to explore our monthly theme is to talk about it with people who are close to you. It’s also a great way to deepen our relationships! So let’s explore together! Click
HERE to access a list of reflection questions.
