I think everyone knows by now that I love the poetry of Shel Silverstein and used his work often with my students while I was still teaching fulltime. This poem talks about imagination and childhood innocence. But for me the byline goes deeper. It speaks to me of what it means to belong to beloved UU communities.
This author suffered some controversy when folks realized in his work there were tones of magic, death and dying, questioning authority, talking to animals, and images that were considered too graphic for children to see.
For me this poem speaks to the value in imagining and questioning and challenging expected norms. It encourages one to look around and see ‘what else’ there might be to explore and discuss and perhaps push around until a new idea takes root. And at the end of ‘whatever’ we can begin again… and I think belonging to a community of faith where justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity are lifted up is just the kind of community I’d like to meet around the corner..
~Lydia Patrick
