Did you know that International Women’s Day was first observed in the early 1900s? And I was surprised to learn that protests against gender inequality started much earlier, with the First Women’s Rights Convention being held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848.
It’s interesting to me that this was also the era in which the founder of this news organization, Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), experienced profound changes in her life. She went from being a single mother struggling with chronic health problems and financial difficulties to being a well-known religious leader and the founder of a worldwide church.
Despite the inequality faced by women of her time, Mary Baker Eddy succeeded as an author, publisher, editor, healer, lecturer – all at a time when women could not vote and were considered incapable of managing their own affairs. Her book on spirituality and healing (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures”) was included on the Women’s National Book Association list of “75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World.” (Listen to this complete article or continue reading)
One morning this past winter I was shadowing a twelve-year-old snowboarder boarder down the mountain. He was a blur of color and confidence as he sped down the slope. It was hard to decide which was more fun to watch: his ability and sheer athleticism, or his complete immersion in and obvious satisfaction with the snowboarder identity—from the baseball cap worn backward to the baggy pants to the overall aura of a preteen who knows he looks cooler than all the nearby teenagers eyeing him with envy.
But what if one is no longer twelve? And what if it’s not one’s place on a snowboard but on a corporate board, maybe with a corner office and access to the company jet, that largely shapes one’s identity? And then, poof, the job is gone. Or perhaps one has hung his or her identity not on a job but on a role like husband or wife or parent—and then unforeseen events suddenly disrupt the familiar routine. What then? … continue reading
In this short podcast John talks about how he learned to love himself – to recognise that he had his own unique ‘light’ to shine – and he describes the positive effect this had.
An article by Lindsey Biggs from the Christian Science Monitor.
Where does our worth come from? A particular job? How much praise we get from a job well done? Many of us have had to wrestle with such questions.
Lindsey writes:
There was a point when I desired additional employment. I felt there were greater ways that my skill set could be used than in what my role at the time offered.
I regularly turn to prayer when I need help or guidance. Prayer gives me a clearer sense of my (and everyone’s) relation to God. I’ve found that getting a clearer view of what God sees and knows helps me experience more harmony.
In this instance, my prayers led me to write a “spiritual resume” – not to share with prospective employers, but to help me think more deeply about where our true worth lies. What I mean by this is I compiled a list of spiritual qualities I felt I expressed, such as patience, creativity, compassion, timeliness, order, self-discipline, etc.
Click here to read, or listen to, this short article where Lindsey explains how a change of thinking from a material to a spiritual basis brought about long-term, satisfying employment.
Beauty, wealth, or fame is incompetent to meet the demands of the affections, and should never weigh against the better claims of intellect, goodness, and virtue.
Christian Science Canberra 