Someone’s Rainbow — A Nontheist Friend’s Offering at Spring Sessions

New York Yearly Meeting now openly recognizes the diversity of its members’ practices, its theological diversity, its languages, and nontheism.

On April 4, 2025 at Spring Sessions, there was an offering from a nontheist. I am that nontheist and these are my words:

A nontheist friend’s offering at Spring Sessions

My seven-year-old granddaughter asked me if I believe in god. I said that I did not. She then asked if I believed in MLK and Rosa Parks. I answered yes, I do. She then asked if I believe in them because I could see them.

What matters most, as I see it, is to always lead with love.
Friends, I love you all.

Please be mindful that I do not speak for all non-theist Friends.
I, MaryPags, speak only for myself and only to you.

My offering, which you may call prayer, a message, or by another word,
is inspired by a poem called: “Be Someone Else’s Rainbow.”

I believe that together we will find true peace and true community by:

walking on, and witnessing to “Common Ground”
         Having the ability to feel gratitude.
         Knowing guilt and regret.
         Knowing how to seek forgiveness;
         And how to forgive.
walking on, and witnessing to “Common Ground”
         Recognizing a cry for help;
         The ability to ask for help;
         Answering your call for help… and….
         Holding you in Divine Dark and in Divine Light.
walking on, and witnessing to “Common Ground”
         Knowing what it is to struggle with fear and abandonment.
         Knowing despair and heartache.
         And knowing wonderment and awe.
         Seeking Love, both in the giving of it, and the need of it.
walking on, and witnessing to “Common Ground”
         I am a living human being.
         My humanness desires connection with something greater than myself.
         This I call Love.
         Love is greater than I am.
         Love is that which is eternal
         Love connects me to all humans… and to the cosmos.
walking on, and witnessing to “Common Ground”
         You are a living human being.
         What does your humanness desire…

Here I quote Maya Angelou because she “gets” ME:

MaryPags