Article March 10, 1980 Issue

The postman's whistle

MARIETTA G. LYON

Waiting for a letter from someone you love? Does the sound of the postman's whistle make your heart jump with anticipation, only to plummet to the depths when you find the postbox empty?

Through Christian Science this useless form of self-torture can be permanently replaced with spiritual poise, free from anxiety about our absent friends or family. Man is God's idea, and God's idea is never absent from God. We have to learn this and begin to trust it and apply it.

Throughout the centuries, letters have forged a vital link between people. We can imagine, for example, the joy with which the early Christian churches received Paul's letters of encouragement and love. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, was a prolific letter writer. In a motherly way, she rejoiced in her students' reports of progress and growth. She had a deep love for home, which prompted her to insist, "Home is the dearest spot on earth, and it should be the centre, though not the boundary, of the affections."^{Science and Health, p. 58;}