Welcoming new good

My husband passed on at home a little over a year ago. Our daughter had surprised us with a visit that weekend, and I was so grateful that we were all together. I called a friend from church, who came to our home right away. That friend was full of practical information and supported us prayerfully (in another room) as officials came and went.

I called a practitioner for support. In one of our conversations, she told me that there would be “new good.” At the time, I couldn’t imagine that. I was overwhelmed and felt I had lost all my good. 

After several weeks of feeling sorry for myself, it came to me that I really needed to turn to gratitude. I had had a long and happy marriage to a loving husband, who was a wonderful dad and was kind and good, not just to us, but also to many others. He had been reared in Christian Science, and I came into Science through our marriage. My husband and I were always active in our branch church.

With my husband’s passing and knowing that life is eternal, Christian Science became a source of uplift and comfort for me. I became a better listener, as I experienced God guiding me.

There were many material challenges, large and small. My husband had not retired when he passed on, and our personal finances were intermingled with those of his business. Paperwork was massive and seemingly endless. Several appliances quit, I was locked out of my house without my cellphone, my car had a flat tire, and more.

But as the weeks went by, I often experienced good in large and small ways, sometimes from the most unexpected sources. In one instance, a college friend living two states away volunteered to visit several times to sort through my mountains of papers. Also, four-course meals began arriving at my back door, delivered by a friend who modestly explained that she always had leftovers. Those meals still arrive from time to time!

Knowing that God is the source of all good that is evidenced in our lives, new good just kept on coming. I began sharing this idea of new good with friends, acquaintances, and strangers. The idea came as a revelation to many people, as it had been for me.

I have always been grateful that Christian Science came into my life. I received a whole new understanding of gratitude when I had the privilege of class instruction with our wonderful teacher. I am so thankful for my little branch church, with its willing workers, so full of love and support – not just for me, but for each other. Our testimony meetings are always joyful and uplifting, a circle of love. We are knowing that all the Love and Truth expressed go out and bless our community.