Permanence. Are you laughing yet? The idea of anything having permanence is certainly absurd. Even death, presumably, is not a permanent state -- one might be resurrected, or reincarnated, or transformed into some higher level “energy state.” Still, we like to think that good things will last, at the very least, for a long, long time.

Of course, that’s when fate seems to strike. Just when a person is lulled into believing that something is (reasonably) permanent, we are reminded of transience. Make routine back-up floppies of computer files? A chore easily put off, and then, a virus strikes and the only solution is to reformat the hard drive. Those presumably permanent files suddenly become X-files.

Comfortable in your family situation? Maybe too comfortable, to the point of having neglected to nourish your relationships? Don’t be surprised when grumblings are heard, children don’t show up for supper, and spouses begin to turn a cold shoulder. No relationship can be expected to be permanent if attention is not paid to giving, as well as receiving.

We build our houses -- and make them our homes -- with an assumption of permanence. Yet, a fire, windstorm, mud slide, or any other “act of God” can in a few moments remind us of the transient nature of life on earth.

Still, despite the truth and all evidence to the contrary, we need to believe that we can count on some things not to change. Otherwise, we would be in constant turmoil, unable to dream and make plans for the future. We need the comfort of expecting the good in our lives to continue, while balancing that expectation with the knowledge that we can change the things which are not so good.

For example, no one should be oppressed -- be it in the home by a spouse, at work by a boss, in the market by a seller who puts profit before safety and service, or in any of a number of instances. Oppression cannot be accepted as permanent, and fortunately, I don’t know any Unitarian Universalist who would consider it to be so.

This all swims into my mind at the end of one year and the beginning of another. Many of us will focus on transience -- some of us will make New Years resolutions specifically hoping to create change in ourselves. Others will focus on permanence -- wishing to continue that which is right and comfortable in their lives. Let me say both approaches are honorable. Both require elevating our awareness about ourselves, and consciously choosing how we want our lives to be.

I encourage you to take this small spiritual journey, examining what you may have taken for granted, dreaming of how your life might be better with some modest change, and remembering that permanence is really just transience moving slowly. Oh, and one more word of advice. . . back up your files diligently!

H. Lee Richards