Article December 12, 1970 Issue

My Neighbor Loves Me

MARY G. FARNUM

Recent experiments have borne out to an amazing degree the theory that athletes, children, and even animals tend to perform excellently or poorly according to what is expected of them or to the love bestowed on them. In fact, a vital ingredient of life and happiness is to feel that we are loved. We may be tempted to feel uncomfortable or even hateful and perform poorly in the presence of one we think dislikes us or is critical of our abilities. And how easy it is to expand and bask in the presence of someone who loves and respects us!

But are we really in the precarious position of being dependent on another person's attitude for our happiness and success? No! The Bible tells us in the first chapter of Genesis that man is made in the image and likeness of God and given dominion over all the earth. This statement coincides with Jesus' words, "The kingdom of God is within you."^{Luke 17:21;} Within our very own God-given consciousness is the perfect solution for every difficulty.

But we may wonder how one goes about applying these dynamic truths in his experience. Much of the misery of the human mind is caused by the unhappy practice of speculating about what the other fellow is thinking of us and then reacting to our own thought pictures. Our release from these worrisome mortal beliefs lies in turning from personal views to Love itself, the very presence of God, good—the Love that loves because it is Love. This Love is always available, just at hand, flooding our consciousness whenever we are willing to turn wholeheartedly to it. Love knows nothing of mortals' dream pictures, including, on the one hand, their inhumanity and injustice and, on the other, their catering and doting.

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