WE’RE OFF!

by Mary Ellen Stanton

The Northern Virginia Ethical Society is beginning its twenty-seventh year!  Just as Dorothy took her friends, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man, with her, I feel that I am walking down the yellow brick road with my NoVES friends. 

Dear Etty, 

Are people just aching to argue?  Seems like the slightest comment sets people off.  The other day, I kidded with someone about her mumbling when she chaired the Platform.  She almost took my head off.  

Kidder 

As part of the membership meeting in June, 2010, I asked members to remember two incidents this past year that stood out for them in the life of our Ethical Society -- one that they enjoyed, and one that they didn't enjoy so much.  I also asked that they try to boil down to one word the quality of life that they were wanting -- a quality of life they found in the moment they enjoyed, a quality of life that they found wanting in the moment that they didn't enjoy.  Out of those words, I created this word cloud:

 I belong to a very large family.  In fact, we are more a tribe.  My mother had eleven brothers and sisters and I have fifty-six first cousins.   Although we try to keep up with each other through Facebook and holiday letters, we relish our family reunions.  We fill the reunion time by greeting the older generation and meeting the new one, learning about our family history, doing a bit of bragging, and thoroughly enjoying each other’s company.   

Dear Etty, 

  I have been a teacher for thirty-nine years.  My year begins on the first day of school in September and ends on the last day of school in June.  Academicians who also followed a school year calendar founded our Ethical Culture society.  I like their way of doing things!

Dear Ethical Etty,