The presence that never leaves you

Bill Dawley

IT's NOT EASY to get a grip on the fears and anxieties that terrorism incites. There's talk of water supplies being poisoned, buildings being bombed, forms of public transportation being hijacked. Underneath the routine of daily life, uncertainty and insecurity seem to lurk. Some countries around the world have had to live with this kind of anxiety for years.

But there's comfort and peace in realizing this: No matter what kind of situation any of us might find ourselves in at any time, it's not beyond the law of Principle and Love. God is Principle. God is Love. He is also intelligence. So it's impossible to be in any situation where Love, Principle, and intelligence are not there.

This is not just theory—it's fact. Here's an example of what I'm talking about. A number of years ago I was walking out of a bank after cashing my paycheck. As I was stuffing the money from my cashed check into my wallet, I felt a hand grab my arm. A voice said, "Get back inside and get your hands up against the wall!"

I looked up to see a masked gunman. He pushed me back inside and toward the wall.

Time stopped. I was scared out of my wits. I heard the teller say, "Give'em the money. Give'em the whatever they want."

Somehow I managed to latch on to the thought that there was a presence there that would protect us all—a presence we normally call "God." I tried to stay with that thought, even though my thoughts were torn in a hundred directions.

At one point I thought of a postcard I was about to send off for information on a graduate program. I thought to myself, "I guess I won't have to send this off, after all." But I pulled my thought back to that divine presence. Eventually these people left the bank, and the police came. After giving them descriptions of what happened, we were free to go about our business.

Surprisingly, I was able—both during and after that incident—to feel calm—to feel the presence of Love and protection. A couple of days after this, I got the shakes. But it didn't take long to get quiet—to feel calm again, knowing that life is under the control of Principle.

This issue is all about the Principle that is with me—and with you—always. No matter where we are or what we're doing. Principle protects us and our loved ones—right where we live.

The presence that never leaves you

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