Trust is important for all of us. Trust is part of what allows us to feel more comfortable with other people, agencies, our doctors, our therapists, our families and friends. 

For me, I have trust in my UU faith. I trust that the UU Association will be able to use their collective strength to act in accord with my values. For instance, now I am very concerned about the safety of trans folx, immigrants, and disabled people who rely on Medicaid, SNAP benefits, federal housing, etc. In the recent UU World, they wrote that “The Unitarian Universalist Association joined more than two dozen Christian and Jewish religious denominations and associations on February 11 in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s new policy that allows immigration raids, arrests, and other enforcement actions at houses of worship.” 

Trust is part of what has been shattered by what the current administration is doing. We trust that the government will take care of the elderly, the disabled, the unhoused, veterans, etc. However, currently the administration is taking away our trust in those safety nets and systems. 

That is what is making us feel anxiety and a feeling like the ground is shaking beneath our feet. When trust is broken, it makes us feel uneasy at best and panicky at worst. We don’t know what could be next and we seek answers. However, when we don’t have trust, it is hard for us to know what might be next. We need assurance that the ground will always be beneath our feet. 

When our trust is broken, as in relationships, we search for someone, something or someplace that helps us feel grounded again. For me and many people, this is where religion comes into play. UUCM has been that place for me for over a decade. The community, the people, the values, the music, and the vision have given me that feeling of trust. I know that I can trust that we will follow the UU principles and allows me to feel the ground under my feet again.