Something for the Journey
Rev. Darrick Jackson, UUMA Director of Ministries for Life Long Learning
 Growing up in the AME Church, the message that stayed with me during that time was to “love your neighbor.” That phrase resonated deep within me. I held on to it as a sacred aspiration because not everyone is easy to love. Many times, I failed at loving my neighbor. But I kept returning to that in my personal growth, learning, and formation.
Around the time when I was in theological school, it clicked that I was missing part of the phrase. It actually reads, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I realized just how important adding that phrase is because sometimes it is much easier to love your neighbor than yourself. It became clear to me that I needed to put as much energy into loving myself as I was in trying to love others.
That led to a shift in the way I move in the world, recognizing how much care I need to offer myself so that I can be in a place to offer love to others. Self-care became so much more important because I realized that I was not an effective agent of love when I was worn out and tired. Sometimes, it is hard to offer myself love. Sometimes, it is much easier to bypass my needs and care for others. However, I am learning to pay attention to my needs so that I can love my neighbor as much as I love myself. It is a challenge, particularly in these times, but important and necessary for sustaining ministry and personhood in a world that does not value everyone. May we all navigate this challenge with grace and care for ourselves and each other.
|
