Keep On Shining

[Written Especially for Children]

CLAIRE MOORE

Peggy was a little girl, brought up in a Christian Science home and a happy member of the Christian Science Sunday School. Usually, there was a glad smile on her small face, so her mother was much surprised one morning when Peggy came running in from play, her eyes full of tears, sobbing that the little girl from next door had refused to play with her.

For a moment, the mother said nothing to Peggy, but silently said to herself that God, Love, fills all space, and that in divine Love there is no room for hurt feelings or misunderstandings.

When Peggy's sobs ceased, her mother asked her what she was going to do about it. Then Peggy, still listening to mortal mind, declared that she would have nothing more to do with the little girl next door.

Outside, the sun shone brightly, and the living room where Peggy and her mother stood was filled with light.

"Let's pull down all the shades," said mother, and Peggy obeyed, although she thought it was a very strange thing to do.

When all the shades were down and the room was darkened, mother asked Peggy to go to the front door and look out. "I want you to see what the sun is doing," she said.

"It's still shining, mother," said Peggy, and then she smiled. "Oh, I know what you mean, mother. The sun shines all the time, no matter what happens. Even when it's raining the sun shines on top of the clouds. And our teacher told us how at night the sun keeps on shining, but that our earth turns around, so one side is in the dark."

"Yes," said mother, "isn't it wonderful that the sun shines the same way always, on everything! It cannot help shining, for it is all light and knows no darkness. And Jesus said, 'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.'"

Then she took up Science and Health (p. 595) and showed Peggy where Mrs. Eddy says that the sun is "the symbol of Soul governing man,—of Truth, Life, and Love."

"'God is love,' is one of the first things you learned in Sunday school," said mother. "So as God's child you cannot help loving all, because God is all-loving. The sun cannot but shine for it knows no darkness, and Love cannot but love for it knows no hatred."

"Then," said Peggy happily, "I'll just keep right on loving the little girl next door, no matter what happens!"

She was laughing as she ran out of doors. And soon the mother heard Peggy and the little girl next door playing in the yard.

That evening, when Peggy came in for dinner she said she and her friend had had a very happy time together.

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