My journey with Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy began when I received this book as a gift from a friend. He saw that I was in a very dark place. (Since I began this journey, I’ve purchased an untold number of copies for myself and for sharing with others, as my friend did for me.)
I accepted the book graciously but did not intend to read it, since all I knew of Christian Science was that it did not involve healing through medical means. And I was totally committed to a career in the field of medicine. My entire family was involved in the medical profession, and I was working as a medical technologist in a cancer research laboratory at a university hospital. We shared a common goal of wanting to help others find health and well-being.
After the book had sat on a table for several days, I picked it up and began to read, but only out of respect for my friend. I realized it must have taken great courage for him to offer it, knowing my commitment to the field of medicine. I was also aware of his intuitive understanding that my negative mental state was directly connected to frustration that there seemed to be little progress in finding a cure for a disease whose name alone held so many captive by fear.
