This podcast features Rev. Dr. Marie Manning, better known as Twinkle. She will talk to us about what it means to all of us to be a work in progress. But before you listen to what she has to say, here's a little more information about Twinkle.

Reverend Manning currently serves as the contract minister for the UU congregation in Waterville, Maine. Previously, she excelled at retreat leadership and workshop facilitation for many years. Now, as a semi-retired media professional, award-winning television producer, author, artist, and poet, she is founder of TV for Your Soul and the Empowering Women's Signature Series. I hope you'll want to learn even more about Reverend Manning, and you can do that by visiting her website, twinklesplace.org.

Her presentation here has been excerpted from the full UUMUAC Third Wednesday Vesper Service for November 2025, which you can watch on our YouTube channel.

During this podcast, Reverend Manning begins with a reading of Jennifer Bloom's poem, "Work in Progress." It was originally published in her 2020 book, Within My Illusions, published by Balboa Press. The poem ends with the line, "I am a work in progress, and still I am complete." But that's just the beginning of Twinkle's musings and prose as she takes off from that point and offers us an entrancing meditation and reflection on this topic.

We are sure you will enjoy this remarkable exploration of all the ways we grow and change, all of us works in progress.