There was a time in my life when my mom disowned me because she felt I wasn’t living up to her expectations. She wrote many unkind things in a letter informing me of my “fallen status.” 

I had already struggled for many years with the fear that I didn’t measure up—that I’d fallen short of being a good daughter, a good mother, and a good wife. But through the study of Christian Science, I had made progress in understanding that my worth is not based on other people’s opinions, but on how God, Spirit, sees me as His child­—the spiritual expression of His qualities.

When I received the letter, I made the choice not to feel wounded, but to instead ask God for the wisdom to know how to heal this broken relationship. During this time, I learned to turn to God as my true Parent. As a Christian Scientist, I had been taught to start with God—to know that God is our Father and our Mother, that He is not just the source of all good but good itself, and that I could trust Him to express strength, tenderness, and nurturing care toward everyone, including me.