SENTINEL WATCH December 13, 2004 Issue

For a free—and holy—land

Rosalie E. Dunbar

As the Palestinian people look toward elections in January, they and the world are facing new opportunities for peace in the Middle East. Yassir Arafat's vision of a Palestinian homeland did much to shape the dialogue on that subject, but the interim government and the candidates for election can now explore new paths toward peace.

Is this time of transition fraught with peril? No question about it. Much prayer and careful thought are going to be needed. And Mary Baker Eddy, who had to make her own way along tricky paths, offered sound guidance for others on the subject. She wrote in Science and Health: "The discoverer of Christian Science finds the path less difficult when she has the high goal always before her thoughts, than when she counts her footsteps in endeavoring to reach it. When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress" (p. 426).

In peace negotiations, counting footsteps could range from being hung up on prejudices or past hurts and injustices to fighting old wars instead of working toward new peace. This is where maintaining the expectation of progress will speed the journey. Instead of entering negotiations with the mental baggage and background, the "we have always done it this way" approach, now is the time for all parties to let go of past difficulties and move forward with open hearts.

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