Article May 19, 1980 Issue

Individuality in the family

DOROTHY FOX BARTELS-KEITH

Ugly faces, hideous monsters, weird shapes, all appear at our front door on Halloween. Yet we greet them without fear or apprehension. Why? Because we know that behind each mask is the smiling face of a child. We are never fooled for one minute into believing that what we are seeing could possibly be the real identity of someone.

Christian Science enables us to see beyond a different kind of mask that mortal mentality would put on our children. Identifying them rightly—perceiving their real individuality—frees them (and us as parents) from restrictive mortal beliefs. Birth, inherited capabilities, pride of family, and emotional links between parent and child are all assumed to be part of the true picture. We must find the spiritual courage to search beyond such sense impressions for the present Godlike individuality of our children. Do we honestly want to do this, or are we satisfied with seeing our offspring as younger versions of ourselves, even if this must include some lessthan-attractive qualities?

What is individuality? We grasp its true nature by starting right out from God. God is One. He is unique and individual. Because of His allness He can never be fragmentary, limited, or confined. Nor is God distributed among a multitude of beings. By looking deep into the spiritual actuality of being, we perceive that true individuality springs from the oneness and allness of God because it is the very activity of the one Ego. Individuality is never conceived in matter nor brought forth in the flesh. It remains spiritual and therefore perfect. Whether we see ourselves as members of the family unit or as singles, we can know that we reflect, in our spiritual being, true individuality. So individuality unfolds in consciousness and is forever safe because, as reflection, it is as permanent as God.

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