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Rev. Dr. Cheryl Kirk-Duggan speaks in Wightman Chapel on January 9, 2022

What’s My Motto?

“Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” —Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last Friday, January 14, our new Executive Director, Rev. Sondrea Tolbert, interviewed academic, womanist theologian, and author Rev. Dr. Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, in a livestream conversation, “Clergy Conversations.”

In her conversation, Rev. Dr. Kirk-Duggan, who is the author of more than 25 books, shared that an important value in her life was having a motto by which to live. And her motto— “Laughing, singing, dancing with God!”—is clearly reflected in her demeanor. She is a delightful and energetic woman who has a wealth of knowledge and insight to offer the world.

Later that evening, I began reflecting on my own motto for life. Did I even have one? Obviously, that question spoke volumes! What is my motto? What do I value most in life, and how do I live my values? Most important to me is my belief in the grace and mercy of God. Is grace and mercy a motto? Yes, and…

So, like any other person with a computer, I googled motto— “a short sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating the beliefs or ideals guiding an individual, family, or institution…” said one source.

Then I looked for the mottos of persons I admire, the things they said and how I perceive they lived out their lives. The above quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was something I believe he lived out and is often quoted. The concept of Ubuntu was lived out by Archbishop Desmond Tutu— “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” There’s poet and activist Maya Angelou’s famous quote: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” And poet Mary Oliver clearly articulated her life’s motto in her poem, “Instructions for Living a Life”: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

What is your motto for your life? I think I might try out, “Pay attention. Stay curious. Live grace.” and see how that fits. Always a work in process.

Blessings,
Donna

Rev. Dr. Donna Patterson

Rev. Dr. Donna Patterson serves as Anam Cara Chaplain in Residence for Scarritt Bennett Center and directs the Center’s Soul Work program.

Top photo: Rev. Dr. Cheryl Kirk-Duggan speaks in Wightman Chapel, January 9, 2022 (by Alpha Artistry).