Rev. Laurie Bushbaum will share 3 poems that, for her, get at the heart of what it means to wake up, to suddenly see one’s place in the world, to hear the call of one’s own being. Denise Levertov describes the “flat of a sword touching her shoulder… granting honor and a task.” Robert Frost so poignantly describes standing “where two paths diverge in a wood” and choosing one. And finally, Martha Courtot’s poem, “Crossing” describes the danger and necessity of crossing from one place, or stage in life, to another. When in your life have you felt suddenly clear-eyed, knowing and irrefutably changed? Individuals, families, and communities of all kinds, even nations, face Defining Moments.

Bio- Rev. Laurie Bushbaum recently retired after 35 years in the UU ministry. This summer and fall she cared for her terminally ill brother until he died on November 11. This past year, she has also been helping to form the first fabric co-op in the country. Think food co-op but for fabric and sewing supplies, especially for the hard-core quilters. As a sewist and quilter since she was a child, she is excited about the co-op providing a member-owned small business in the heart of the city as an alternative to the big box stores in the burbs which require a car to reach. The Quilt Shop Coop is in a wonderful, diverse, creative neighborhood, just a few blocks from where George Floyd was murdered. The goal is to provide community and creativity and access to the fabric arts for many.