Loneliness is the result of regarding a world which seems unfriendly and indifferent from the standpoint of human selfhood. The remedy is to look out from the standpoint of God's creation upon a universe full of beauty, usefulness, unlimited opportunities, and blessedness. Loneliness would steal our priceless treasures, such as joy, hope, happiness, gratitude. It would have us believe there is a power apart from God, good, and fear it. It would build a high wall of selfishness and thus shut out from our view the beauty, loveliness, and holiness symbolized in nature's constant unfoldments, and expressed here and now in loving deeds, unselfish service, the joyousness manifested by little children—all showing the healing power to God.

Loneliness seems to enter human thinking through separation from loved ones, offense taken easily, a sudden thrusting out among strangers, a false sense of pleasure, willful human outlining, self-pity, self-justification, self-love. In analyzing these suggestions of error, we find that they ally themselves with belief in a power apart from God, and that they depend upon personality, not on divine Principle.

Loneliness is a claim that good is inactive, and this dull sense is dispelled as we firmly and courageously face the arguments which it uses and think actively on the things of God. Paul wrote, "To be spiritually minded is life and peace." It is possible and practical instantly to correct this and all wrong thinking through the contemplation and acceptance of spiritual existence, and by displacing each erroneous belief with a true thought from God.

Are we grateful for God's goodness; willing to wipe out false concepts and desires by acknowledging that we are now the children of the impartial and loving Father; to see that all Godlike qualities—patience, gladness, strength, courage, confidence, grace, beauty, happiness, purity—are reflected by all the offspring of God; to realize that man's well-being depends upon divine Mind alone; to accept Spirit as substance; to rejoice that the beauty of character which we see and love in those around us is not confined within them and does not belong exclusively to them, but is theirs by reflection? If so, these truths, understood and constantly applied, quicken our thoughts and bring an abundance of blessings far beyond our expectations. As we turn confidently and consistently to our Father-Mother God and find our unity with Him, we find our needs being supplied. Our Leader sums up the love and protection of God for His entire creation in the following words from her Message to The Mother Church for 1901 (p. 7): "God being infinite Mind, He is the all-wise, all-knowing, all-loving Father-Mother, for God made man in His own image and likeness, and made them male and female as the Scriptures declare; then does not our heavenly Parent—the divine Mind—include within this Mind the thoughts that express the different mentalities of man and woman, whereby we may consistently say, 'Our Father-Mother God'? And does not this heavenly Parent know and supply the differing needs of the individual mind even as the Scriptures declare He will?"

The realization of the truth underlying these words brings deep gratitude for Mrs. Eddy, who through spiritual thinking and living gave us the divine rule and remedy for all ills, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and her other writings, and taught us, in the face of every discordant condition, whether appearing as sickness, sadness, fear, confusion, doubt, or loneliness, how to understand and utilize the law of God, Principle. She saw the motherhood as well as the fatherhood of God, and lovingly gave this glorious revelation to a heartsick and discouraged world. The following lines, penned by her, comfort us and lift from our shoulders the burdens of care and responsibility (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 400):

One little child found in her mother's love and devotion constant happiness and contentment. When the child was about twelve years of age the mother passed on. It seemed to her that she had lost the most precious thing in her life, and the sense of loneliness remained with her for years. To see her friends with their mothers was a constant reminder that she had been deprived of a great joy, and that she might have been spared many difficult experiences had she continued to have her mother's guidance.

Years later this child, grown to womanhood, became interested in Christian Science, and one Sunday morning she attended a service in The Mother Church. As usual in these services, silent prayer was followed by the audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer and its spiritual interpretation as given in Science and Health (pp. 16, 17). Though the woman had heard the prayer many times before, that morning the word "Mother" in the spiritual interpretation of the first line of this prayer—"Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious"—rang out so clearly that she heard nothing else. She kept repeating the words, "Mother—God is my Mother." Peace and happiness filled her thought. She saw that really she had not lost loving and tender care. Rather, during those years of loneliness God's love, protection, tenderness, guidance, and wisdom had constantly been at hand for her to accept and apply. She saw that the love of our Father-Mother God is infinitely greater than human affection.

What riches unfolded to her through this healing! God, she saw, supplied not only her needs, but the needs of all His children. Happiness and contentment are right at hand. Companionship and home are seen to be in consciousness. God's protection and guidance constantly point out the path. The open fount of His ever present wisdom is free for all to partake of and to impart. Divine, universal Love pours out endless blessings and gathers all within the shelter of His wings.

As students of Christian Science we are facing Godward, leaving behind that which "defileth ... or maketh a lie," and rejoicing in the realization that we lack nothing, but are now infolded in the love and goodness of "our heavenly Parent."