Dear Unity Friends & Family: Our collective hearts are broken as we listen to press conferences and news updates about the shooting of young children at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX. The event happened on May 24th, 2022 and I learned about it while watching the morning news. The assailant, a young 18 year old boy who had been given an AK47Rifle as an 18th Birthday Gift. Piece by piece, more information is released about the 18 yr old boy ... he was not allowed to graduate from his high school class and was labeled "a drop out." I realize that all of you reading this email message have heard more information than you can bear about this. As Unity Students, we automatically shift to the: "What is the inner meaning or the metaphysical understanding of this tragedy? The apparent loss of any life seems a tragedy. But, when we claim that any "loss of life," or loss of any kind is a tragedy, we have made a judgment according to appearances. Our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, taught us over and over, again to "Do not judge by appearances; but give righteous judgment." This means, to judge or understand according to the unlimited process of Divine Life, Love, Understanding & Intelligence ... that which is God, the One Power and One Presence. Yes, the human bodies of these little ones, their teachers have been "killed" in outer appearances; but, their Real Selves, their Souls are their indestructible, eternal souls. "Life is Eternal and Love Cannot Lose Its Own" (Silent Unity Prayer). As a spiritual teacher and a follower of metaphysics for close to 45 years, I have to ask Spirit, what greater purpose or what role in the great drama of Life did these children and two of their teachers play? Here is the answer I received in prayer: "Souls often group together to form Soul Agreements that work for the Highest Good of All Concerned." Yes, I am still thinking and praying about this answer. Perhaps, this group of 19 souls have acted as a catalyst for effective changes in our gun laws, school security, mental health treatments, and a myriad of other ways of healing and changing the life experience for all of us. I ask you to do your own prayer work and reach a state of Inner Peace as to the meaning and purpose of our challenges in our lives. I trust God, our Higher Power, to reveal to you the answer that makes sense to you. Our Lesson this Sunday is: "Courage." We all need to call upon Spirit to strengthen us and give us daily courage in meeting "the world" of outer appearances. This reminds me of another lesson from our Elder Brother: "Be of Good Courage, for I Have Overcome the World." Richest Blessings in Soul Growth, Rev. Jeri Linn
