Mrs. Eddy's understanding of home is a wonderful concept for the traveler. She says (Science and Health, p. 254), "Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven; stranger, thou art the guest of God." To me this makes it very clear that home and heaven are concepts we can nurture in our thoughts rather than places we long for from afar. Often, when away from my home locale, or while in the process of establishing a new home, I have been comforted by this thought. I have found that if I can express joy, love, and hospitality—qualities coming from divine Love—my sense of home has never diminished no matter where I have been.
Once when my family was living in Europe, I was on my way home after a year of schooling in the United States. Through a misinterpretation of my instructions, the ship I was to travel on departed hours before I realized my mistake. The fear, aloneness, and self-recrimination that blanketed my thought thankfully lasted only a few moments. A very strong feeling of peace just welled up inside me and lifted my thoughts. I attribute this peace to the buoyancy, fearlessness, and confidence that I had known all my life as a student of Christian Science.
I recalled with affirmation the Bible verse (Rom. 8:28), "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." I knew I loved God and therefore knew I was on the right track. Since the transportation I was to use was military, the port authorities suggested I go to the nearby air base and wait for "space available" on a plane. This I did, and joined the other expectant travelers in the waiting room. My constant companion during this time was a newly purchased Christian Science Hymnal. The words comforted me, but more importantly I realized as I read and pondered them I was giving praise to God—the finest prayer we can offer. At the end of three days I flew out, arriving home nine days earlier than I would have by ship.
