Upon analyzing her thought, a student of Christian Science found that while she was rejoicing daily in the assurance of her present heritage as a child of God, she often turned back to dwell regretfully on the inharmony of childhood days. Much light was gained from a careful study of the fifteenth verse in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes: "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." One rendition of the word "requireth" is "seeketh again." The student earnestly pondered how God might seek again that which was past, and learned to acknowledge her blessings as continuous, including past as well as present ones. Just as one sometimes erroneously outlines a certain income as one's only source of supply, she found that she had been limiting her expectancy of affection and companionship to certain human relationships. So she went over the past and step by step replaced thoughts of anger with compassion, jealousy with love, and self-pity and discouragement with gratitude. Then a great burden of resentment which she had carried for years rolled away. And into her thought and experience, from unexpected sources, came the understanding love of which she had dreamed in her youth, but on a sweeter, higher basis of spiritual helpfulness than she had previously hoped for.

Let us not cling to past hurts, past misunderstandings and unhappiness. Into the darkened room, when the window shades are raised, pours the bright sunlight. Admitting the influx of light, we do not lament that while the shades were drawn the room was very dark indeed.

Daily rejoicing and daily recognition of God's ever-present kindness are invaluable. Gratitude and discouragement cannot abide simultaneously in our consciousness. We can be grateful for even the simple things of everyday life, such as the happy laughter of a little child at play, the faithful affection of a dog, the glow of a lingering sunset, little acts of courtesy from others. Thus we can learn to avoid bearing false witness to a so-called mortal past, for it vanishes in the glorious light of ever-present Love.

Paul has given us this beautiful message in his letter to the Philippians: "This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Only wrong thinking can seem to bring discords into our experience; but if we believe that these discords had reality in the past, how can we be sure that the present will be free from them?

With regard to a mirage in the desert we know that the water seen in the distance is not there, and we are not surprised when we find only dry ground. Would it not be foolish, then, to suppose that after all we had passed through water, and perchance even carried a bit of mud along with us on the wheels of our car? Mary Baker Eddy says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 538), "Until that which contradicts the truth of being enters into the arena, evil has no history, and evil is brought into view only as the unreal in contradistinction to the real and eternal."

Perhaps the problem which at the time seemed disheartening served to turn our thought toward Christian Science. Should we not, then, look back on these experiences only as opportunities for rejoicing? If we are admitting that the present hour contains all of good to meet our need, and acknowledging that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we begin to discern that we have always been in unity with the Father, with our hand in His.

Even where to human sense things look blackest, Love is guiding and guarding our way. Mrs. Eddy has left us this beautiful promise (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany,pp. 149, 150): "Remember, thou canst be brought into no condition, be it ever so severe, where Love has not been before thee and where its tender lesson is not awaiting thee." As we open our consciousness to the eternal heritage which our loving Father-Mother has bestowed upon us, we learn to appreciate the spiritual fact that only the eternity of God's creating constitutes reality, and that His creation is eternally unfolding. It is our privilege, as His children, to express this ever-unfolding creation.