"Your individuality is one of your most precious gifts. It is one thing that is truly yours and can never be taken from you." These words were a lifeline to me as a young woman questioning my own worth. I had been struggling to maintain a concept of myself that was frequently defined by "the crowd." As I considered this, I realized that I had waged a godless campaign for individuality that often took on a tone of rebellion. The result was that a sense of self-worth, purpose, and a place in life eluded me. A change in the very foundation of my thinking was required.
This change began, and is still continuing, as I learned that the whole of creation reflects the one divine Principle called God. And, as Principle is infinite, it expresses itself in countless ways—infinitely. We begin to glimpse this diversity of infinite expression when we observe that no two snow-flakes, roses, or people are exactly alike. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, explains this fact of God's creation in Science and Health, "Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love. Soul is the substance, Life, and intelligence of man, which is individualized, but not in matter." Science and Health, p. 477.
As one walks along a shoreline, collecting seashells, grains of sand, and pieces of glass honed by the beating of the waves, it becomes clear that no two shells, no two grains of sand, and no two pieces of glass are the same. There is always a shade of difference, even if they are of similar size and color. This illustrates, in a small way, the infinite individuality of God's ideas. God is not redundant. He does not require a duplicate of an idea to ensure that He "made His point" or "has gotten it right." But God does require the whole of creation to express His boundless nature—so each individual idea is equally important to God.
