GROWING UP as a Christian Scientist, I learned that God, our true Father and Mother, created me and that I include only what He gives. Science and Health explains that we each reflect all aspects of His/Her nature. This passage illustrates what I was learning: "The masculine mind reaches a higher tone through certain elements of the feminine, while the feminine mind gains courage and strength through masculine qualities. These different elements conjoin naturally with each other, and their true harmony is in spiritual oneness" (p. 57). This oneness means to me that the spiritual qualities of masculinity and femininity constitute who I am, rather than limited definitions of identity derived from physiology and psychology.
As secure as I felt in the knowledge that I am the creation of God, who is both Father and Mother, and that my identity is a reflection of that divine wholeness, I still had a lot to learn about my true nature. Some of this learning came the hard way. I know that the discovery of who we are spiritually is ongoing, but I'm particularly grateful for some awakenings that took place over a few years.
In grade school, I had dreams of being popular and good at sports—the classic "jock." I imagined myself growing into an attractive man women would like and men would look up to.
