ONE MORNING in October of 2005, I was working in our backyard before getting ready to travel to a Parents' Weekend at my son's college. Later that day, during my flight, I began to experience dizziness and headaches, and noticed that one of my feet was quite swollen. Although I hadn't been aware of it at the time, I'd apparently been bitten by a spider of some kind. I was largely free of fear, but when the swelling increased, I knew I needed to address the situation.
When the plane landed, I called a Christian Science practitioner to pray with me. As I did so, I resolved to rely wholeheartedly on Christian Science for healing. The practitioner immediately affirmed that from a spiritual standpoint, foot would be seen to represent a strong and intact foundation to stand on, and this fact is irreversible, regardless of what the material senses are communicating. She also pointed out that since there is no opposing element in God's entirely good creation, there could be no reality in any discordant situation. I understood these truths as affirmations of the spiritual fact that because I live and have my being in God, nothing inharmonious can invade my experience.
Many of the events during the weekend required walking, and my son was concerned about my comfort, as well as the appearance of my foot. But I used his arm as a crutch and an umbrella as a cane and was able to attend each activity without undue stress.
