On this mother's Day, we will join other UU's across the county in a multi-cultural, justice-oriented celebration of all those who mama. We will acknowledge and celebrate the experiences of women in the myriad ways they mother.

Anger and disappointment that lead to a desire for retaliation abound in this world. Some argue that this proves the existence of evil, which can only be stamped out by a force which is stronger than the offender and wrapped in an attitude of remorse. Others say that is better to turn the other cheek. Whether the offense is a worldly one (WWII), a society-wide one (mass murders in our public forums), or an individual one, all of us face issues for which we can chose to become combative and try to fight those offenses we have experienced or we can take the “higher ground” and look for ways to forgive ourselves and the offender so that we can move on in our lives and in our relationships.

Citing real-life examples, Berry will look at how anger and frustration can lead to war, divorce, and extreme unhappiness, while the true power in moving on with our lives comes from giving ourselves permission to be loving, forgiving human beings.

LINDA S. BERRY

Linda S. Berry is the widow of the late Rev. Dr. Benjamin D. Berry, Jr. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of Wooster (OH) in History and English and her M. S. degree in Human Resources Development at American University (D.C.), and has completed some coursework toward her PhD in Leadership and Management from Grand Canyon University and University of Phoenix. After retiring from a 25-year career in higher education, Berry served as an adjunct instructor at National College of Business and Technology for five years, after which she retired to care for her ailing husband. Berry is currently pursuing a voice over and commercial acting career, volunteers at the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, and is an active participant at the Fifty Forward Knowles Center. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting friends in Ohio, spending time with her 4 children, 12 grandchildren, and 3.5 great grandchildren. She continues to provide organization-specific training in diversity, board training, strategic planning, and time management for not-for-profit as well as for-profit organizations, and takes classes with the goal in mind of achieving her PhD in either English or Leadership, returning to the classroom, and expanding her travels.

The Five Remembrances were taught by Gotama Buddha some 2500 years ago. These five simple statements are to be recited daily as a means of orienting ourselves to the facts of life and freeing ourselves from wasted efforts to escape them. Rabbi Rami will walk us through each Remembrance and how it behooves us to remember them