Growing up and growing old are two different things

UU A Way Of Life publishes an article on stoic philosophy every Saturday.

Seneca makes the point than growing old and growing up are two different things. There are some people who have lived long in chronological time but they have not grown in wisdom and grace.

When it comes to life, do you aspire to quanity or quality?

A life well lived is sufficient for satisfaction and fulfillment no matter how many chronological years it entails.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. To what extent has any individual or group of people or church been successful in that search?

Many of the UU churches I have observed have resorted to pettiness, bickering, and schisms of all sorts. One small UU church I have observed over almost 20 years goes through a schism about every five years. The church I currently attend periodically has been through about 6 ministers, counting the interims, in the last 10 years. These churches are over 100 years old so that have grown old, but they have not grown up and whether they will survive to any kind of maturity is highly questionable.

Whether the application of this fourth principle contributes to any kind of constructive maturation raises significant questions about the governance structure which seems to have crippled UU maturation as a denomination and "living tradition."

Seneca's point about the shortness of life whether of individuals, groups, or communities can lead us to constructive reflection on our functioning.