Article October 23, 1926 Issue

The Mirror

MARGARET MORRISON

One sunny morning, at the breakfast hour, a little golden canary was let out of his cage to fly around in freedom and enjoy the equally golden sunshine that flooded the room with warmth and light. It was noticed that a favorite resting place of the little creature was the corner of a low sideboard near the window, across which the light streamed brightly. The bird would stand directly in the light, look out of the window into the clear, free air, and sing in a most joyous manner. At one side, and a little behind him as he sang, was a bright silver urn. At times this seemed to attract his attention, and he would turn to it and see himself clearly reflected therein. Immediately his song would cease, his feathers would ruffle up, and he would begin to scold the reflection, working himself up until his little bill could be heard clicking against the silver as he tried to reach his supposed enemy.

To one observer of this little drama a great lesson was taught, which she has since found applicable in many situations. Are not the things that ruffle us, that affright us, that cause us to fight in anger, in fear, or in despair, merely the reflection of our own false concepts, or the false suggestions of so-called mortal mind which we entertain, it may be either through ignorance or through self-will?

On page 105 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says, "Nothing appears to the physical senses but their own subjective state of thought." So, when error presents to us its pictures of evil, disease, poverty, dishonesty, sensuality, death, and all the etceteras of sin, it is well to question and see if they find a response in us by way of belief. Are these pictures real to us? Do we believe that they have being; that they have a cause, a creator; that they have substance and occupy space, when all space is filled with God, good?

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