This brings to mind a dear friens of our church who in the recent past had emergency surgery necessitating one side of her head being shaved. When it was growing out, she had her normal length of hair on one side, and a crew cut on the other. I told her she needed an earring and purple hair and she would look just like the kids, be right in "style". We had a good laugh. She knew she was perfect just the way she was and so did I. I like being reminded of this Truth. I know it about others, but occasionally forget it about myself. My heart knows, my head doesn't always remember. I've found it's possible to have momentary spiritual amnesia.
Many of us have come from a traditional, if not fundamentalist kind of background. There is an 'oft brought into' belief that to think differently from, or to be different than, is somehow wrong. It's the idea that there is only one path and 'woe be to he who is not on it'. One of the things that really appealed to me when I was first introduced to Science of Mind, as well as boggled and amazed my mind, was the idea that everyone is always in thier right place, no matter where it is or how it seems to be, and that includes every being. This doesn't mean just on Sunday mornings when we're feeling as pious and pure as we're ever apt to be (which could be a lot or a little) but in everything we do, are, believe, feel, think, and as a result of this thinking, bring into our experience, 24 hours a day. It even includes life and death situations.
If we are from a more traditional school of thought our most comfortable place for seeking spiritual nourishment may be a church, synagogue or temple. For the more adventuresome spirits, it could be at someone's kitchen table, the ocean shore, camping under the stars, a favorite spot for meditation... wherever on feels and communes with the presence of God, for isn't that our ultimate purpose? We delight to learn that God is everywhere, everything, everyone... no exceptions. This must mean that God is right where we are now. Most amazing of all we learn, someone doesn't have to be wrong for someone to be right. Glory, hallelujah!
It is so easy to believe this at church on Sunday morning or while attending classes, being with very intelligent people of like mind. Isn't it amazing how smart people are when they think the way we do? It's not always as easy when we're out in the real world dealing with real life situations where not everyone is as enlightened as we, nor even wants to be. This is where we get to see if we really believe what we hear ourselves saying or find we're simply mouthing phrases that sound impressive.
Right now I'm reading a book called "God Knows My Heart, Finding a Faith That Fits". It's written by a "disillusioned Christian fundamentalist turned scoffer". She is a reporter and her assignment is the religion page, so in spite of her distaste for religion, she finds herself attending religious and not so religious services and ends up God in the strangest of places even, to her amazement "in the confines of a Southern Baptist Church", which she left thinking she was not of God's persuassion. I can't tell you how the book ends because I haven't finished it yet, but isn't that a perfect analogy for life? I can't tell you how life ends because I'm not there yet but I know that wherever and however I am right now, and forever, "I am good enough" - And So Are You.
Reverend Doris Gallagher