Because I’ve never been able to conceive of God as a gigantic force somewhere in the heavens above, I’ve found it comforting and very satisfying to accept that God is, quite simply, the presence of goodness. This goodness is everywhere, and we realize this whenever we take the time to look. When I see the beauty of a sunrise, recognize the benefits of a rainstorm, or feel a peaceful clarity in my thinking, then I’m seeing, recognizing, and feeling God. God is always present, but it’s up to us to acknowledge this presence. Doing this has always brought me such a tremendous sense of peace.
When I started college in the fall of 2008, I immediately filled my schedule with as many activities as possible. I attended four classes, held several part-time jobs, became actively involved in the Christian Science Organization on campus, and ran every day. Of course, I was also meeting new people and learning about the culture on a college campus, so I was pretty much always on the go.
The jobs that I held at the start of my college career varied greatly. I was a lifeguard at the pool, a reading tutor for preschool students, and a student security worker at occasional schoolsponsored social events. I enjoyed these jobs and brought joy and enthusiasm to each of them, but, as time passed, I realized that my attitude toward them was changing. I had stopped seeing my employment as a way to express a variety of God-given qualities and talents, and had started to consider it a burden that I only accepted for the financial benefits.
