Not afraid to think

Name removed by request

Sometimes it looks like the ears of a lot of teenagers are a little different from those of other human beings. They contain something that's round, and most of the time black, from which a thin wire exits, goes down the neck, and enters the clothing through the collar. Since this thing is usually there, it's almost as if it were part of the ear's anatomy. But no. It's actually a headphone that's connected to a radio, a tape player, or a CD player. It's an inseparable companion, all the time.

To go around with a Walkman and enjoy music is cool. But it's also cool for people to listen to their own thoughts. And if they do, they'll hear some amazing things. Maybe they'll even hear the divine intelligence of the universe — God. Maybe they'll find out that God speaks to every one of His children. Because God is Mind, and we are like Mind. And since we are, we're always open to what is good. We're thinking with every step we take.

Today, information is transmitted to us at ever-increasing speeds. Every minute, new activities come up to fill our time. They come so fast that it's hard to keep up with all of them.

On one hand this is good, because we now have opportunities that we never dreamed of before. We can do things in less time than before.

But our lives are richer only when we know how to discern what kind of thoughts come to us. To really think is to filter our thoughts, to reflect on what we see, to discover the ideas behind what's being said and done. To think also means not to act automatically but to ask ourselves questions before doing something. Questions like: “Is this thing I'm about to do going to harm anybody? Will it help anybody? Does it line up with God's nature — or not?”

The woman who founded the Herald wrote about what the effect is of living in agreement with God's nature: “The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 162 ).

As we go through each day, we're not passive spectators. It's not like we're watching a TV program where it's impossible to intervene. Through our thoughts, we are active participants in the world around us. Perhaps some people prefer not to think, because their thoughts end up focusing on fear and anxiety. But you can't simply run away from bad thoughts. You can, though, remember that God is Love — infinite Love. He cares for each of us. He guides us. He protects us. And thinking about God in this way is praying.

Science and Health offers many reasons not to run away from thinking. And it suggests the huge potential of thinking about God and the laws with which He governs the universe. For example: “The human mind, imbued with this spiritual understanding, becomes more elastic, is capable of greater endurance, escapes somewhat from itself, and requires less repose. A knowledge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man. It extends the atmosphere of thought, giving mortals access to broader and higher realms. It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity” (p. 128 ).

What a list of advantages! The act of thinking, reflecting, enlarges our sphere of action. It makes possible the expression of the individuality God has given us. This individuality is inspired by new ideas. It's open to whatever is good and is a help to the world.

Because this is their real individuality, people like to think. In fact, we discover many things to think about, even in the music we hear during moments of leisure!

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