Article February 27, 2006 Issue

STANDING UP TO TERROR

How to stop being afraid when afraid.

BY REBECCA ODEGAARD

a small child is skipping along the pavement with his mother and takes a spill. The mother does several things all at once: She picks him up, embraces him, brushes off his clothes, straightens his hair, wipes his tears, tells him he's all right, smiles reassuringly, takes his hand, and tells him to come along again.

We've all seen or been a part of such a scene at one time or another. But this little scenario, which came to me once while praying, has taught large lessons about overcoming fear, even extreme fear or terror.

Let's put God in the place of the mother. There is Biblical authority for referring to God as divine Mother, and in Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy defined the term Mother as God (see p. 592).