Article June 30, 1986 Issue

Unblocked spiritual progress

FREDERICK H. BRIGHTMAN

When I was younger, my father and I used to walk to a stream that ran through the woods near our home. We would watch the clear water flowing smoothly along its course—sometimes carrying a leaf or a petal with it. Many times I made a dam in the water by piling up sticks and rocks. The water would then swirl around the side or plunge over the top, making foam and bubbles. When I took away the objects that blocked the water, it would flow smoothly again.

Another time I watched the same thing happen on a much larger scale at a logging camp. The logs floating down the river would topple over each other, piling up and blocking the way. Loggers using long poles would regularly clear away the clogged area.

Years later this image helped me understand Mrs. Eddy's definition of river in Science and Health. It reads, "Channel of thought.

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