Reading, writing, and getting along with others

On the path of desegregation, students lead the way.

from the June 11, 2007 edition

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Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, or the laws of God as they apply to humanity, asserted, "It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established" ("Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," p. 467).

Mind, Life, Truth, and Love are all names for God that help us understand the divine nature better – and therefore the true nature of men and women as made in His image and likeness.

I often turned to the Bible and Science and Health for inspiration when it came to finding answers to my children's questions and for insight into how to teach them to become citizens of the world. My children learned for themselves that their friends were not different from themselves and that "dealing treacherously" with them by being mean or unkind only caused hurt feelings and pain, and didn't solve any problems. And it could escalate into a problem of huge proportions.

Mrs. Eddy also wrote, "God has countless ideas, and they all have one Principle and parentage" (Science and Health, p. 517). This helped my children understand that every person on the planet is one of God's children and needs to be considered as a brother or sister, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity.

The significance of learning to get along with others of different cultural backgrounds can't be underestimated. Crystal Wadsworth not only has been granted an academic degree for completing high school, but she has advanced to a new level of understanding the true nature of humanity. She has learned that how she perceives and interacts with people is of paramount importance to success in other areas. To have graduated with that skill and knowledge is an accomplishment indeed.

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