love, kindness, patience, charity

It was a disappointing Meeting.

First, when I looked around at everyone's faces, I saw no trace of gentle humor. Being Mindful is so important of course, but so is keeping perspective. My hunches of uptight self-righteousness rang true during introductions when a squabble erupted about whether to hold Business Meeting. It was a stupid squabble.

Even more stupid was a squabble about whether Mona's or Lebanon's Cafe is better. When a visitor asked a good place to find vegan food, I suggested Mona's and said there is also Lebanon's two blocks down, but I prefer Mona's. Personal preference, that's all. What happened next would be most appropriate (though still inexcusable) in an all-girl's 8th grade classroom. Two of the members argued about which was better, "proving" it to each other.

I'll go back, hoping that was a fluke and a bad day for all involved rather than a regular occurrence. I have nothing to lose right now, so I may well say something the next time. It was completely inappropriate behavior by anybody professing Quaker beliefs, much less at a Quaker Meeting! And then the one who "lost" the argument about whether to hold business meeting actually subverted it happening during its time by engaging in private conversations.

I was also disturbed by the frequent allusion to people as "Birthright Quakers" or not. Who cares?!

The Meeting is very small, now more than ever. Perhaps there is a leadership vacuum which encourages these types of occurrences. I'll see, and give it another chance or two.