Dividing That Unifies

HELEN L. CONNELLY

Margaret was working on her doctorate in education, and part of her work each semester was to take a group of college juniors on a camping trip. They went even in winter; enclosed buildings provided the sleeping quarters. The expedition, part of their teacher preparation, had a number of objectives: to get to know themselves better, to have a growing, unifying experience with other members of the group, and to see how the outdoors could be made relevant to children.

It was against camping policy to take along either liquor or marijuana. Previously none of the young people Margaret had accompanied had presented that particular problem, but rumor had it that this new group was different. Although it was not convenient to talk with them as a unit beforehand, she did have a quiet talk with one young man and asked him to remind the rest of the group of the camping rules.

Margaret, a Christian Scientist, knew that the same Mind that governed her was also governing them. She decided, "I am not going to moralize or preach or tell them what the rules are. They know the rules. I am going to expect them to be responsive to their God-given sense of right." In further prayerful thought before the trip she affirmed that God's will, not human will, was governing them all. They were under the care of God, divine Mind, the One who provides all intelligence, wisdom, and good judgment.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The Gift That Keeps On Giving