Recently when I was walking down to our local shops on a blustery day, I was aware of not only the autumn leaves blowing around but also a lot of litter. I found myself 'tut tutting' about how people in our neighbourhood could be so lazy and selfish and seem to lack any sense of pride in where they live. Why drop litter like sweet papers, beer cans and takeaway boxes rather than disposing of them correctly? By the time I reached the shops my mind was filled with even more thoughts along these lines.
On the way home, however, I started considering what 'litter' was entering my thinking and swirling round like the falling leaves I was walking through.
Was my critical attitude the most healing response to this situation?
Did I have other thoughts that had crept into my thinking and taken a foothold, that needed correction?
How alert was I being to immediately dismiss any negative thoughts and replace with strong affirmations of what is true?
My walk home gave me time to begin to examine my thinking about this particular situation. I prayed to see that as the spiritual reflections of God, good, we can’t be tempted to be lazy or selfish. We all express our God given qualities of love, consideration and obedience. This was true about me and everyone else living in our community.
In her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mrs Eddy, the discover and founder of Christian Science writes:
With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren; and with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science. S&H 469:30-5
I am trying to be a better 'litter-picker'! To remain more alert and monitor my thinking so it doesn’t become littered with anything that is negative……and if anything does manage to ‘blow in’ I am quicker to default to what I know to be true and harmonious.