RELATIONSHIPS July 3, 2006 Issue

THE 'REAL' IN RELATIONSHIPS

VAL MINARD

SO MANY PEOPLE have deep feelings of despair, especially when it comes to personal relationships. One of the important things I've learned on my spiritual journey, however, is that we always have a choice about our mental state.

I've learned from studying Christian Science that living a balanced, joy-filled life isn't dependent on other people or outside forces. Nor is it the superficial effect of positive thinking. It really comes from an awareness and acceptance that divine Love, or God, is the only power in our lives, and this separates us from the restrictions of a material history.

Staying with these powerful ideas helped heal the effects of growing up in what would be termed a "dysfunctional" family. My parents divorced when I was five, and I never saw my dad after that. Although my mom remarried a few years later, I faced constant turmoil with my stepfather, and as a latchkey kid, I felt lonely and rejected. This left me feeling vulnerable and depressed.

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