Article June 30, 2014 Issue

Look up and see!

Cate Vincent

New York City garbage used to end up on an island where thousands of seagulls waited for it each day. They say if you stood on that island from a relatively high vantage point and looked down, you saw the seagulls scrabbling over, and fighting over, the bits of garbage. But, if you stood in the same spot, and looked up at the sky, the seagulls looked as though they were doing a heavenly ballet.

I’ve used that picture many times when I needed reminding to look up, to raise my view and look for an inspired answer, in discouraging, dangerous, or challenging situations. For me, one way to get that higher view is to pray.

I find that being still and listening, or even singing, especially hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal, are very good ways to pray, and these take me a long way toward finding that inspired, uplifting view. And, I’m learning that there is a requisite to true prayer: loving each other.