By Heather Melton, UTO Staff Officer
For those of you that have been around UTO for a long time, you know that I love growing garlic. As June begins, it is time for the first garlic harvest. We garlic farmers head out and cut off the scapes, or the part of the garlic that will create a flower if left on the plant. The scape is removed so that the plant will put all of its energy for growth into the bulbs underground and not into the flower. Today as I headed out to harvest the scapes from my garlic plants, I thought about this biological process of focusing energy and how there might be a message to us in this process as well.
Years ago, Robin Williams joked that Episcopalians were the only ones holy enough to take the summers off, or at least I’ve always been told he said that once. It’s a saying that has become engrained in our ethos as Episcopalians, and most congregations reflect this in the ending of the program year. (I was recently surprised to find out from a friend who attends a non-denominational church that they continue their programming all summer…I proceeded to tell her the Robin Williams joke.) I think there is real wisdom in taking time off: It’s good for our souls, our sleep, and our mental health to have breaks. These breaks can also help us discern and assess what is really important to pick back up again.
Rest helps us determine where to put our energy and helps us understand that our energy is finite. Rest is the chance to replace “Well, we’ve always done it that way,” with the question, “And how is that working out for us?” Rest reminds us that we can grow amazing flowers or huge bulbs, but we can’t grow both well. Times of rest laced with discernment remind me of that scene from “Aladdin” where the genie says, “Phenomenal cosmic powers…itty-bitty living space.” Often we have big ideas, but we also have constraints for living them out. This summer, as you rest and recharge, I hope you’ll join me in considering where God is calling you to put your energy. This task invites us to give thanks for things that are no longer serving us well as they come to an end, so we can take that energy and put it into other projects.
Summer is a great time to rest, reflect, give thanks, and reassess. While it might appear that things are quiet around UTO during the summer, the reality is that we’re doing this important work of resting, reflecting, giving thanks, and reassessing. Especially this summer, as we head into the final year of the triennium, we’re looking at all our materials: some will be retired, others will be moved to digital only, others will be created, and so forth. We begin the work this summer of discerning where our energy as an organization will go, what new things we will create or try, and what things to revive that have lain fallow during the pandemic. This time is really fertile and helps us see the challenges that UTO is facing as opportunities to give thanks and grow alongside an ever-changing world. There will even be a chance for folks to help us do this work through a member survey coming out later this summer.
I will also be going on vacation this summer and taking some time to rest and play with my family before they all head back to school in August. I’m also diving into some continuing education courses, as I continue to adapt and grow in this work to better serve and support our Board and members. Email responses might be a bit delayed at times, but know that I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, know that you’re in my prayers as you take time to rest and give thanks this summer as well.