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May 11, 2004
Dedication Ceremony
What a beautiful day Sunday was. Not only was it Mother's Day (we had all the Moms together, and I got to say 'I'm not just a Mom on TV, I'm also a Mom in real life"), it was the day that we held Gustav's Dedication Ceremony at Unity Temple.
We joined Unity Temple a couple of months ago. It's a Unitarian Universalist Church. Both John and I were not and have not been church-going folk for a long time, for many reasons. After we moved to Oak Park, we wanted to visit the Unity Temple that was a creation of Frank Lloyd Wright, and we thought the best way to visit was to actually come to a service. The service really moved us and tapped a nerve in both of us. It's a socially-conscious environment, where defining and exploration of your own spiritual path are encouraged, whatever it may be. We started going on a regular basis after Gus was born, and every Sunday we were left with spiritual and intellectual food to nibble on for the week. We liked how we felt there, and we wanted Gus to be exposed to the community and the different ways people define their religious and spiritual beliefs. After we joined, we decided to have a dedication ceremony for Gus. It was an opportunity for us to publicly dedicate ourselves to his well-being, and it was a way for the community to do the same for Gus, as well as for us.
My Mom, John's Mom, Grandma, Alison (his sister) and Emilio (soon-to-be brother-in-law) and Kye made it to the ceremony. It was so touching. I am so glad we did it.
The ceremony consisted of the congregation welcoming Gustav into the community, a reading (we chose to write a letter to Gus), and a blessing by the four elements: earth, wind, water and fire.
Here's the letter that we wrote to Gus:
-----------------------------
Dear Gustav,
We're so happy you're here with us. Exactly one year ago we found out that
we would be parents. From that point we tried to imagine life with you in
it. Now it is impossible to imagine life without you.
Since your arrival, the lessons you have taught us are profound and deep:
When you look at trees and stare in awe, you teach us that there is magic
in the world around us.
When you greet a stranger with a huge smile, you teach us to keep an open
heart and mind.
When you master a new skill, such as rolling or grasping, you teach us to
appreciate our abilities.
When you shout with a joy that seems to come the core of your being or cry
out of frustration, you teach us how important it is to express how we
feel.
When you fall asleep in our arms, you teach us to slow down and find
comfort in the quiet.
We need to look at the world like you do, see it as a place of
possibility, remove our misconceptions and set ways and celebrate daily.
We will work to create a positive, secure environment for you, where you
feel free to explore, question and learn. We know that Unity will be an
extension of that, and that is why we are here today. We are thankful to
have found a community where all of us can grow.
Gus, we are better people for having you in our lives. We love you very much.
Love, Mama & Papa
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During the blessing with the earth, Gus was blessed with some soil on his head. A nice dollup. He was so chill the whole time, even when Rev. Taylor was holding him. It was amazing.
We loved spending time with Alison and Emilio, such a treat to see them again after our trip to Cincinnati a few weeks ago. We can't wait for their wedding in July!
I always hate it when my Mom goes home. It is inevitably hectic right before she leaves and I miss her immediately. We'll see her soon, though...
I'll put pictures up soon!
Posted by janna at May 11, 2004 12:26 AM