Updates from Kathy Underwood, February 28, 2025

DLFF Newsletter – February 2025

I am sitting in my office with the sunlight streaming in as I write. One of my favorite things to do is sit in a sunny window and read while sipping some decadent flavor of tea. Last week when it was below zero, I took my dog for our usual 1.5 mile walk and saw a small flock of robins in a tree. It was then that I knew spring was coming soon. Sure enough, after a couple of colder-than-normal weeks for this time of year, it is a balmy 52 degrees out today! There is hope after all!

I am one of those people who is closely attuned to weather and seasons. I love to surround myself with tokens that remind me of this – rocks, shells, leaves, bird nests, warm blankets, and the colors of the season. This parallels my feeling about life in general – things are constantly changing, so take notice of them before they’re gone. I try not to fret over something that will not last long. I need to keep this in the back of my mind and hold it internally during these turbulent times in our country and world. I want to believe that this will not last.

Of course, the pressing issue is about what happens in the meantime. The saying, “Be the change you wish to see” resonates with me but I struggle in discerning where and how to do this. What injustices and causes are most important? They all are, in the end. Because everything is interdependent, each one has a direct connection and effect with the others. We can also refer to this as intersectionality. So with this reasoning, the answer to myself is simply to act on ANY cause, and it will tug on the threads in the web of life that are connected to it.

UCE gives me the inspiration to act. Hearing people’s stories, finding ways to widen the circle, and seeing the impact of so many people individually and collectively, gives me hope. Our young people need to hear and see this as well as take part in it as best they can. As parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles, we need to include them in our conversations on the injustices we are passionate about and listen to their perspectives and solutions. They need to know that we care about their future, that we have not abandoned them and left them to deal with it when they grow older. They, like us, need to know that spring is coming.

Our Family Friday event earlier this month was making toys for dogs and cats from old t-shirts for a local animal shelter. Next month, we will be planting a variety of seeds to take home and tend to. Our middle school youth are interested in planting trees or something similar. These are simple ways to include younger people in our efforts to make the world a better place. If you are part of a local effort that can include children and youth in any kind of social action, please let me know.

May we create the change we wish to see.

In Faith,

Kathy