Article December 19, 2011 ISSUE

Our holiday house guests

By Michele Newport

Home is the consciousness of good
That holds us in its wide embrace;
The steady light that comforts us
In every path our footsteps trace. 
(Rosemary Cobham, Christian Science Hymnal Supplement, No. 443)

To realize home  as “the consciousness of good,” as this lovely hymn puts it, is to open the door to heavenly thoughts that uplift and heal. I had the opportunity some years ago to witness this powerful fact.

My husband, young daughter, and I were expecting company for the Christmas and New Year holiday, and we were looking forward to it. However, the family of five hadn’t been with us very long before it was evident that our two families differed strongly in a couple of ways. First, their concept of time was very different from ours. They didn’t adhere to scheduled plans, which meant late dinners and delayed bedtimes. This was not what we were used to and threw our daughter’s bedtime schedule off. Second, they had very strong opinions regarding food, constantly calculating the benefits of what they ate, and even occasionally remarking on our eating habits. 