In a strange city, among new acquaintances, a young student of Christian Science found comfort in observing a lovely little willow tree across the street from her home. She enjoyed its dainty dignity, its flexibility and grace. How inspiring it was to watch the little tree bend with the strong wind! At times it would be bowed so low that its branches touched the earth. Yet it always returned to its upright position, the lacy, leafy beauty of its drooping boughs steadfast and free.
Watching the lovely tree day by day awakened in the young woman a desire to get a firmer foundation in Christian Science, to learn more about God, to be more obedient to His will. Before long her deeper understanding of God brought to her companionship, peace, and joy. The little tree also helped her in learning to express such qualities as humility, poise, stability, so necessary in meeting people and conditions in her daily round of activities.
Should one find oneself in a new environment, among strangers, with suggestions of loneliness, depression, fear trying to sway thought; should one encounter storms of criticism or condemnation, or be in need of employment, health, peace, and harmony, he should yield his thinking immediately and unresistingly to the law of God, good, through the understanding of Christian Science, and refuse to accept the devastating arguments of false belief. As human consciousness learns to yield lovingly to the will of God, erroneous beliefs will be supplanted by spiritual qualities, such as fearlessness, security, abundance of good, health, joyousness.
