". . . to impress humanity with the genuine recognition of practical, operative Christian Science"Mary Baker Eddy, Miscellaneous Writings, p. 207.
At 18,000 feet, the Himalayan air was thin. Yet my Sherpa guide had moved easily up the side of the mountain. He was on a journey. One he had taken often. I had joined him on the trek and was taking in a majestic view. Being perched atop Gokyo Peak provided an opportunity to view the world from what felt like its very roof. And yet the summit of Mount Everest rose still another 11,000 feet before us. During those two weeks that we had traveled and talked together, my guide had shared with me his world of grand mountains and rugged beauty, his culture, his hopes.
My wife and I have taken other journeys. We've marveled at the vast savanna in Africa, the grace and strength of wildlife silhouetted against a breathtaking sunset. We've lived with, and admired, a hard-working family in the Outback of Australia, where they measure their cattle stations not by acres but by hundreds of square miles. These travels have been occasions to learn, to deepen our appreciation of our fellow beings and of the world around us. And they have hinted at a unique kind of journey, one with a magnitude that dwarfs roaming the globe—the spiritual pilgrimage undertaken by Christ Jesus and by those who strive to follow his example.
