Before your heart catches fire,
it can feel like dry kindling.
Brittle and prone to breaking,
the green long gone,
dying or dead,
and far removed from the tree of life.

But all it takes is a spark

A little inspiration,
A little air to breathe,
And our hearts catch fire,
and all the world is alive.

May we all try to be that spark for each other.
May we all remind each other,
That life is a beautiful thing,
To be cherished,
That life is hard,
And everybody is struggling with something.
That love is real, and lives among us.

So may we call one another to fullest living,
This hour, and all the days we share this beautiful blue-green earth.

In Unitarian Universalist congregations we light a “flaming chalice” to begin the worship service, often with accompanying words. In this reading – which you’re welcome to use – I suggest lighting the chalice after the word “spark”. The pictured “Tree of Life” chalice is designed by my wife, Abbey, and available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/RadiantUU