OrEd-T-24.8-The Meeting Place.1
62. Everyone tied to this world defends the specialness he wants to be the truth! Its wish is law to him, and he obeys. He provides everything his specialness demands. He loves it, and denies nothing it needs. While it calls to him, he hears no other Voice. And he protects it from attack with every resource available. This is my son, beloved of me as I am to my Father. However, it has taken the place of my creations, who are son to me, that I might share the Fatherhood of God, not take it from Him. What is this son that I have made to be my strength? What is this child of earth I love so much? What is this parody of God's creation that takes the place of my creations? And where are my creations, now that the host of God has found another son which he prefers to them?
63. The memory of God does not shine alone. All of creation is contained within my brother, everything created and creating, born and unborn, still in the future, or apparently gone by. What is in my brother is changeless, and my changelessness is recognized by acknowledging his. The holiness in me belongs to him. And it returns to me by my seeing it in him. All of the tribute I have given specialness belongs to my brother, and thus it returns to me. All of the love, care, strong protection, concern, thoughtfulness, and the conviction specialness is myself, belongs to my brother. Everything I gave to specialness belongs to my brother, and to me.
64. I cannot know my worth while specialness claims me instead. My worth is in my brother's holiness. I will not seek to make my specialness the truth, for it it were, I would surely be lost. I am thankful, rather, it is given me to see my brother's holiness because it is the truth. And what is true in him must be as true in me.
65. Can I protect the mind? The body, yes, a little--not from time, but temporarily. And much that I think I save, I hurt instead. What would I save it for? For in that choice lie both the body's health and harm. If I save it for show, as bait to catch another fish, to house my specialness in better style, or weave a frame of loveliness around my hate, I condemn the body to decay and death. And if I see this purpose in my brother's body, I condemn mine as well. Instead, I will weave a frame of holiness around him, that truth may shine on him and give us both safety from decay.
66. The Father keeps what He created safe. I cannot touch God's creation with the false ideas I made, because it was not created by me. I will not let my foolish fancies frighten me. What is immortal cannot be attacked, and what is temporal has no effect. Only the purpose of anything I see has meaning, and if the purpose is true, its safety rests secure. If not, it has no purpose and is means for nothing. Whatever is perceived as means for truth shares in its holiness and rests in light as safely as truth itself. Nor will that light go out when it is gone. Its holy purpose gave it immortality, setting another light in Heaven, where my creations recognize a gift from me, a sign that I have not forgotten them.
67. The test of everything on earth is simply this: "What is it for?" This answer makes it what it is for me. It has no meaning of itself, yet I can give it reality according to the purpose which I serve. Here I am only means, along with it. God is a Means as well as End. In Heaven, means and end are one, and one with Him. This is the state of true creation, not found within time, only in eternity. No one here can understand this, nor is there any way to learn what this condition means. Not till I go past learning to the Given, not till I make again a holy home for my creations is it understood.
