If you've ever felt you were making no progress or that mistakes and difficulties were dogging your path, then this poem by Ruby M. Grogseth may offer hope.  It's on page 54 of Boundless Light, or you can find it either in the bound volumes (17 May 1952 edition of the Christian Science Sentinel) at your local Reading Room (as soon as they open again!) or at jsh-online.com. 

CLIMBING

By Ruby M. Drogseth

When I began the climb
From sense to Soul
My step was buoyant, and
With new-found truth
I swept the path
Of all that hindered
the upward journey.

With heat of noontime
The brambles thickened
And seldom yielded
Without a struggle;
Stumbling and rising,
Slowly I plodded
on toward the summit.

Then the pathway faded,
And waist-deep I stood
In underbrush; the forest
Turned the day to night.
Disheartened and afraid,
Blind with self-pity,
like Hagar, weeping,

I heard God's voice and rose,
Followed His guiding,
And I emerged at last
Far up the mountain;
And to my glad surprise
Found that, through fear and doubt,
I had been climbing.

Climbing reminds of hymns 136  and 501, with words by Violet Hay. There is a most interesting piece about Violet Hay on the Mary Baker Eddy Library site. It begins: 'A dynamic force, Caroline Violet Spiller Hay (1873–1969) was one of the first teachers of Christian Science in the United Kingdom. She was also the religion’s first teacher in South Africa.' 

Hymn 136 is set to an Irish melody while Andrew Brewis wrote the music for 501. Here is the third verse: 

I climb, with joy, the heights of Mind, 
To soar o'er time and space; 
I yet shall know as I am known 
And see Thee face to face. 
Till time and space and fear are naught 
My quest shall never cease, 
Thy presence ever goes with me 
And Thou dost give me peace.

Julie Swannell