Inspired by a friend’s post, I’ve decided to bend a bit on my “no resolutions” policy. Because choosing a Word of the Year is to commit to being resolute on something. Of course we are or should be resolute on our morals and core values- but those should never be a word or flavour of the year.
One of the highlights of 2014 for me was being able to reconnect with (and be warmly received by) the world-wide communion that is the Order of Perpetual Indulgence. Balancing the desire to enjoy fond memories of our past (and remembering lessons learned) with the appreciation that the future does not have to be (often, clearly should not be) mere repetition is tricky. And so I wallow in the luxury of having great memories of The Toronto House, OPI while being able to experience the current Sisterhood. What began as small groups of gay men in a few cities around the world (San Francisco USA, Sydney, Australia and Toronto Canada) has blossomed into (without a word of exaggeration) a thousand members; gay, straight and otherwise- of all genders- in Houses and Missions in North and South America, Europe and Australia.
The core tenets of Perpetual Indulgence are three:
- the promulgation of universal joy;
- the expiation of stigmatic guilt;
- service to the local community;
For a variety of reasons (which I’ve often posted about here and on the Book of Face) I have not felt universal joy in my life in 2014. Or for some years now. Wrapped up in my own drama, and trying to avoid the harshest of the drama in the world around me, I have not been prolific in my promulgating. That changes here and now:
