Retrospect – The UU and Me
By Kevin J. W. Driscoll (c) 2025

My journey to the Unitarian Universalist church wasn’t exactly a pilgrimage. More like a reluctant trudge, propelled by equal parts metaphysical dread and my mother’s nagging. She always said I needed “spiritual enrichment,” a phrase that conjured images of beige casseroles and earnest conversations about the meaning of life, none of which sounded particularly enriching.

So, there I was, a bright-eyed (read: cynical) thirty-something, navigating the minefield of downtown Quincy on a Sunday morning while on my way to Starbucks. The church, a stately edifice across from City Hall, looked less like a sanctuary and more like a fortress of respectability. And then I saw them.

The protesters.

Not your garden-variety “honk if you love Jesus” types. These folks were serious. Armed with Old Testament verses and megaphones the size of small children, they were laying down the law, or rather, the fire and brimstone. Their target? The rainbow flag fluttering proudly beside the American flag, a beacon of inclusivity in a world that often seemed determined to exclude.

Now, I wasn’t particularly invested in the whole gay marriage debate at the time. My own love life consisted mostly of awkward encounters and unrequited crushes on women of my own age. But something about the sheer vitriol of the protesters struck me as…off. Like a really badly tuned instrument in a symphony of human existence.

Their pronouncements boomed across the street, a cacophony of condemnation. “Sodom and Gomorrah!” they bellowed, as if Quincy was about to be smited by a vengeful deity for the crime of…well, I wasn’t entirely sure what the crime was. Loving someone? Being yourself? Wearing colorful socks?

I paused, a strange mix of amusement and unease swirling within me. It was like witnessing a divine comedy, complete with its own chorus of judgmental angels (or at least, people who thought they were). And then, a thought occurred to me: if these were the gatekeepers of righteousness, then maybe righteousness needed a serious software update.

**

I slipped into the church, slightly late and feeling like I’d just crossed a border into a parallel universe. Inside, the atmosphere was…well, it was nice. Pleasantly bland, like a decaffeinated latte. The service was underway, and the minister, a woman with a warm smile and a surprisingly good sense of humor, was talking about the importance of…wait for it…critical thinking.

Critical thinking! In church! It was like discovering that your dentist also offered stand-up comedy on Tuesdays. Intrigued, I listened. She spoke about questioning assumptions, about seeking truth beyond dogma, about the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. No fire and brimstone, no threats of eternal damnation. Just…reason. And compassion.

It was a revelation. Not a blinding flash of spiritual enlightenment, but a slow dawning, like finally understanding a complex math problem. The protesters outside, with their rigid interpretations and their pronouncements of hate, suddenly seemed less like agents of divine wrath and more like…well, like people who hadn’t yet discovered the joys of Google.

Because let’s face it, in the age of information, blind faith is just lazy thinking and blind ignorance. It’s choosing to remain in the dark when the light switch is right there. And the UU church, I realized, wasn’t offering me a pre-packaged answer to all of life’s questions. They were offering me something far more valuable: the tools to ask my own questions.

So, I joined. Not because I suddenly became a devout believer in…anything, really. But because I found a community of people who were willing to wrestle with the big questions, who valued reason and compassion, and who understood that sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is laugh at the absurdity of it all. And maybe, just maybe, fly a rainbow flag while you’re at it.

–30–

 

Retrospect: The Boomer Intervention

By Kevin J. W. Driscoll (c) 2025

Preface:

In the quaint town of Nostalgia Falls, where rotary phones still mysteriously worked and ‘kids these days’ were a constant source of bewilderment, a rebellion was brewing. Three fed-up offspring, fueled by caffeine and a desperate need for peace and quiet, hatched a cunning plan. They would stage an intervention, not for drugs or alcohol, but for the most insidious of modern afflictions: Boomer-itis. Armed with witty comebacks, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and the unwavering support of strong coffee, they embarked on a mission to cure their parents of their most exasperating habits. Buckle up, folks, because Boomer Intervention is about to get real.

In this quaint town of Nostalgia Falls, where the past seemed to linger a bit too long, a peculiar group of friends decided it was time for an intervention. Millie, a sharp-witted millennial; Leo, a tech-savvy Gen Z; and Sophie, a pragmatic Gen X, were tired of their parents’ stubborn habits. They gathered at their favorite café, “Déjà Brew,” to devise a plan.

 

“Okay, we need to do something about our parents,” Millie said, sipping her latte. “I can’t handle another chain email promising eternal good luck if I forward it.”

Leo nodded, adjusting his smart glasses. “And if I hear Dad complain about tattoos one more time, I might lose it. We’ve got to stage an intervention.”

Sophie, ever the voice of reason, chimed in. “We need a strategy. We can’t just confront them—they’ll get defensive. We need to make it fun and engaging.”

Millie snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it! We’ll host a ‘Boomer Rehab’ event. We’ll disguise it as a fun get-together, but each activity will subtly address their toxic habits.”

Leo grinned. “Perfect! We’ll need stations for each habit. Let’s list them out.”

---

After much brainstorming and a few more lattes, they finalized the list:

1. Ellipses Overload: A writing station to teach proper punctuation.

2. Chain Email Detox: A game where breaking the chain leads to rewards.

3. Tech Embrace: A crash course in using modern gadgets.

4. Generational Understanding: A panel discussion debunking myths about younger generations.

5. Decluttering Madness: A fun game where hoarded items are creatively repurposed or donated.

The day of the event arrived, and the town’s community center was buzzing with excitement. Millie, Leo, and Sophie had turned the space into a bustling rehab center, complete with quirky signs and engaging activities.

Their parents arrived, a mix of curiosity and skepticism in their eyes. Millie’s mom, Margaret, was the first to speak. “So, what’s this all about?”

Millie grinned. “Welcome to Boomer Rehab! It’s a fun day of activities designed to help you embrace new habits and let go of old ones.”

Margaret raised an eyebrow. “Is this one of your millennial pranks?”

Sophie shook her head, smiling. “Not at all. Trust us, it’ll be fun. And who knows, you might even learn something new.”

As the event kicked off, the older generation hesitantly participated in the activities, their initial reluctance slowly giving way to laughter and engagement.

At the Ellipses Overload station, Margaret sat down with a writing coach who explained the beauty of clear, concise punctuation. “So, no more ‘I’ll see you later’ dot dot dot (…) ” the coach said, “Just a simple ‘I’ll see you later’ will do.”

Margaret sighed but nodded, “Alright, I suppose I can give it a try – no dot dot dot.”

Meanwhile, at the Chain Email Detox station, Leo’s dad, George, was struggling to break his habit. “But what if I don’t forward this email and I really do miss out on winning a million dollars?” he fretted.

Leo patted his dad on the back. “Trust me, Dad. The only thing you’ll miss out on is cluttering your email inbox.”

Sophie was leading the Tech Embrace station, showing her mom, Linda, how to use a tablet. “See, it’s not that scary,” Sophie said as Linda tentatively swiped through photos. “And you won’t accidentally call me at 2 AM anymore.”

At the Generational Understanding panel, the discussion was lively. “Younger generations are just as hardworking as we were,” Millie argued. “They just have different challenges and tools.”

“Alright, alright,” one Boomer admitted, “Maybe I’ve been a bit too harsh with my ‘back in my day’ stories.”

The Decluttering Madness game was a hit, with participants laughing as they repurposed or donated items they’d hoarded for years. “I never thought I’d see the day,” Margaret said, shaking her head as she let go of a collection of old magazines.

As the day came to a close, the Boomer parents gathered, looking surprisingly refreshed. “You know,” Margaret said, “Today was actually… fun.”

George nodded. “I never thought I’d say this, but I learned a lot.”

Leo grinned. “See, it wasn’t so bad. And who knows, maybe next time you send me an email, it’ll just be to say ‘Hi.'”

They all laughed, the generational gap feeling just a little bit smaller. Millie raised her glass. “To embracing change and finding common ground!”

“To Boomer Rehab!” they all cheered, clinking glasses and sharing a moment of unity and understanding.

 

Epilogue:

The Boomer Rehab proved to be a resounding success. Well, mostly.

Margaret, surprisingly, became a social media maven, posting witty memes and engaging in lively debates (mostly about the proper way to brew coffee). George, after a brief but intense struggle, finally mastered the art of texting, much to Leo’s amusement. Linda, however, remained unconvinced about the wonders of technology. She still preferred handwritten letters and insisted on calling her children at ungodly hours.

But the most significant change wasn’t technological. It was a shift in perspective. The Boomers started to see the world through a slightly different lens, appreciating the nuances of younger generations and acknowledging that maybe, just maybe, “kids these days” weren’t so bad after all.

Of course, there were still occasional flare-ups. George still grumbled about “those darn kids with their music,” and Margaret occasionally sent out a chain email with the subject line “You Won’t Believe This!” But for the most part, the peace treaty between the generations held.

And so, in the quaint town of Nostalgia Falls, where the past stubbornly refused to die, a new era dawned. An era where Boomers and Millennials, Gen Xers and Gen Zers, could coexist, albeit with a healthy dose of good-natured ribbing and the occasional eye roll.

P.S. Millie, Leo, and Sophie, exhausted but victorious, decided to open a “Millennial Rehab” for their parents. The first session? “How to Use and Understand Bluesky.”

–30–

 

Retrospect – A Tale Of Five Cities

By Kevin J. W. Driscoll (c) 2025

In the lush, green hills of Connemara, Ireland, My father’s mother Mary was born into a world where myths and reality intertwined. Her heart was filled with the ancient stories of her ancestors, and she spent her days immersed in the rich traditions of her homeland.

Across that country, in the bustling southwestern port city of Cork, my father’s father William came into the world with a spirited heart and a sense of adventure.

Though Mary and William lived in different corners of Ireland and would probably never have met, fate had other plans for them.

In the 1920s, both of them sought new opportunities and immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts. The bustling streets of Boston became the backdrop for their chance encounter, where the rhythms of the city intertwined with the melodies of their hearts. It was at a local gathering place, celebrating their shared Irish heritage, where William’s charming stories captivated the crowd and Mary’s enchanting presence stood out.

Their eyes met across the room, and an instant connection sparked between them. They spent the evening sharing stories and dreams, discovering a bond that bridged the distance between Connemara and Cork. Their love story blossomed in Boston, where they married and had two sons, one of whom (my father) was named William after his father.

Meanwhile, across the border in Canada, Emil (my mother’s father) was born in Toronto, filled with the promise of new horizons. In the vibrant city of Montreal, Doris (my mother’s mother) was born with a passion for life and a spirit of exploration.

Though their paths never crossed in Canada, destiny brought them to Providence, Rhode Island. In this charming city, Emil and Doris met and fell in love, sharing dreams of a future together. Back then anyone could take a bus from Toronto and Montreal to Providence with no immigration papers and both did and settled into their new life.

They married and eventually moved to Boston, where they had children – the first of whom was Joyce my mother.

Later in Boston, my father William, William and Mary’s son, met my mother Joyce, Emil and Doris’ daughter. Their union continued the legacy of serendipitous encounters that spanned continents and cities. Eventually, William and Joyce had a children, the middle one, whose story is this testament to – is me. The magic of destiny and the power of love to bridge the gaps between worlds otherwise far apart.

This is my tale of five cities, where love, fate, and dreams converged to create a family legacy that transcended oceans and country borders.

–30–