“The Miracle of Star Words” by Tsitsi B. Masvawure

Editor’s note: This posting celebrates one of our church’s rituals; Sharing of star words and its deep connections to the author’s life and family. It is both very serious and playful as it notes how “the higher power deftly nudges us.” She and I both believe those powers nudged us to FBC.

The Miracle of Star Words

By Tsitsi B. Masvawure

Last year, my star word was “Release.” I interpreted this as an invitation to exhale and let go. Given everything that was happening in the world then—wars, attacks on academia and free speech, racism, misogyny, and the frenetic pace that is the American workplace—I welcomed this invitation to exhale and let go. The word captured perfectly what I needed at that moment. This was destiny. Some higher power watching over me and anticipating my needs.

This year, my word is “Kindness.” I haven’t figured out yet if this is an instruction to me or to everyone else. Am I to be kind to others or are others to be kind towards me? Or, yet still, am I to be kind to myself, which would be a continuation of last year’s theme. Release and kindness as forms of self-care.

I believe in the predictive and prophetic potential of these star words. I believe that we get the words we need. Put another way, the words we need find us. That is, a higher power deftly nudges us towards our words. Having watched several hands hover over a star, re-think the decision, and move on to a different star, I am convinced that most of us believe that there is that one “right” star for us.

In the year and a half that I have been coming to FBC Woo, I have had several experiences in the church that have left me convinced that destiny—forces way bigger than me—led me here. The star words and their predictive potential is only one such instance. The Blessing of the Pets service is another. Sitting outside in the still warm fall weather last year, surrounded by all manner of calm and energetic dogs, grumpy cats, and a snake, I felt I had found my spiritual home. No judgment here. Come as you are. As Rev. Brent and Rev. Katherine always say at the start of each service, “We are a welcoming and affirming church.” I had been looking for a church that was fun and welcoming so I could spare my kids from toxic church environments. Seeing the unbridled joy on my daughters’ faces—one of whom was fawning over our dog, Waffles, more than she was paying attention to the sermon, and the other who was absolutely gob-smacked at the pet snake in the seat in front of us—was the confirmation I needed that this was the church we were meant to be at that very moment.

Just last week, my oldest daughter declared, “We should always have jazz music at church!” This was in appreciation of the WPI Jazz Ensemble that performed so beautifully at last week’s service. The music at FBC Woo serves as the ultimate proof, for me, that some higher force steered me towards this church. In fact, this higher force started working its magic months before I made my way through the heavy oak doors that summer of 2024. This higher force had created a job opening at WPI that spoke directly to what I do, steered me to apply for the job and ensured that I got the job so that I would drive past the FBC Woo Pride flag each time I drove to work. Showing up to my first FBC Woo service on a hot summer day and seeing Susan Rodgers there—my self-appointed anthropology mentor—I was sold! Now, when it comes to my top considerations for choosing a church, music that can move my soul is an absolute must. Thoughtful, feminist, anti-racist, justice-oriented messaging is highly desirable but still second to good, soul-piercing music. Community, highly desirable, but still second to good, soul-piercing music. Fickle, I know. That said, however, these priorities are absolutely reversed when it comes to what I want for my kids. Thoughtful justice-oriented messaging, first. Community, first. Good music, second.

Later as the summer cooled down and services moved back to the Sanctuary, I too sat back with the rest of the church, after the Benediction, to listen to Wesley play some Christian version of a Mozart, Beethoven, or something! These post-Benediction moments always feel like being at the opera or at some fancy classical music event at Mechanics Hall! I believe that at my very first service in the Sanctuary, Wesley regaled us with one of his more energetic pieces that makes the room vibrate and makes you feel the sound waves coursing through your feet, teeth and head. It was all encompassing and absolutely thrilling. Every week since, I have felt so spoiled and deeply nourished, spiritually, by the music. Some higher force had led me to a church that plays really, really good music. It was here that I was to get most of my self-care. Release. Kindness.

I have seen the prophetic and predictive power of star words further confirmed in the star words my family picked, both this year and last. Ivai, my youngest daughter’s star words were “Communication” (last year) and “Story” (this year). She shocked us all by successfully running for Class President at her school last year. She had vociferously resisted my suggestion that she run for school council all summer long, and then, one fall day, just like that, she announced that she was running for the top position. I was immediately filled with pride and trepidation. She hates being in the spotlight, let alone public speaking, and running for school council required her to give a speech to her peers and run a campaign. But her star word had predictive power and helped her communicate so effectively that she beat out seven other competitors and was voted by her peers as their Class President! This year she has to give a speech at her 6^th grade graduation ceremony and tell a compelling story about the “rollercoaster ride” (this is the term she has used in her draft speech) that is/was elementary school.

Inathi, my oldest daughter’s star words were “Companion” (last year) and “Patience” (this year). She seems to be a great companion to her friends if we rely on the number of sleepovers and shopping trips she goes on with her friends. She has turned out to be that one friend that everyone else in the group invites everywhere. This year, we all laughed when we saw her star word, Patience. She has zero patience. This was confirmed right away when she suggested swapping it back for a different word. It had taken her all of five minutes, if even that, from receiving communion, to picking her star and then walking back to her seat to want to change her star word. We thanked destiny for thrusting this word her way. Running track at school seems to be helping her to learn to be patient and to trust that the more she trains, the more she will improve on her run times. Two weeks ago, she competed in the 600m New Balance state-wide track competition in Boston; she did not qualify for the next level but she achieved her personal best. Patience. And perseverance.

My husband’s star word last year was “Courage,” which served as an apt call to action given all the (mis)happenings politically. He participated in several anti-ICE events in Worcester, which increasingly now requires a different kind of courage as white Americans no longer seem to be immune to police brutality. This year his star word is “Abundance.” Is this a declaration? Admonition? Reminder? My daughters and I laughed when we saw this word. How very spot on: he has us in his life—obviously—and, as a white male, he enjoys considerable privilege, still. Abundance. Smile emoji here. We tease him endlessly about his star word.

I have deliberately chosen to focus on those instances when destiny shapes our lives positively. But is the opposite just as true? How much should we attribute the negative things that happen to us and to others to the machinations of a higher power? I am conflicted on this. The Bible has innumerable examples in which injustice is destined to happen regardless of any individuals’ actions and desires. How do we explain the loss of loved ones gone too soon? Or those who die in the most horrific ways due to unjust systems and institutions?  Destiny? Chance? Coincidence? I know, for sure, that sometimes the same—or maybe other—higher power is responsible for these harms and injustices, by exposing us to those who would do us harm.

In 2019, I lost a dear friend. We had met three years earlier here in Worcester and clicked immediately. We couldn’t have been any more different, though, personality wise. She was loud, boisterous and gregarious. We soon discovered that we were both Gemini’s—the twins of the zodiac—born only a few days apart. We decided that we were destined to be friends so that I could teach her to be still and she could teach me to let my hair down, as they say. She died suddenly from a pulmonary embolism. Her death occurred on my husband’s birthday. Her workplace held a memorial service. It occurred on my oldest daughter’s birthday. Destiny?