“What does it mean to be spiritual?” At one point in my early adulthood, life events led me on a quest to better understand spirituality as Christian Science describes it. I read everything I could on the topic, including the Bible and writings by the Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, including Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. I also read and listened to relevant articles and recordings I found in the Christian Science periodicals. I took diligent, focused notes, and yet, no matter how much effort I put into trying to see what it meant to be spiritual, I felt I couldn’t grasp the concept in a way that felt reliable and demonstrable.

At one point during my study, I attended a work conference near a beautiful beach. Arriving a day early, I spent most of my free time trying to gain clarity on this, to me, ever-foggy spirituality question. I found an audio program in which several Christian Scientists were interviewed about what it means to be spiritual. I loved what they shared and felt inspired, but I still had questions and decided to take a break and go for a jog along the ocean. 

As I finished my run, I spent a moment appreciating the landscape spread out before me. The sand was crisp and white, and the sky was ablaze with a variety of soft, yet strong, shades of pinks and purples. Happiness and peace came over me, and I thought, “Well, that’s beautiful.”