My early childhood was dominated by the cruel conviction that I had nothing acceptable to contribute in my relations with others. I experienced much unhappiness from continual colds, extreme round shoulders, fingernail biting, St. Vitus's dance, nightmares, and painful shyness, all of which interfered with my well-being and happiness.
Thus saddled, I somehow finished college and took an office position. A co-worker saw my need to be released from the grip of colds. At the close of a particularly wretched day for me, she asked if I would like her to give me a treatment in Christian Science. Although my parents had instilled into me their belief that this Science should be scrupulously avoided, I had suffered so much that I was ready to grasp at anything, and I accepted her offer. The next morning there was no evidence whatever of a cold. I was so impressed that I began at once to study Christian Science. The next time a cold put in an appearance I was able to dispel it with my own use of "the scientific statement of being," given on page 468 of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy.
The St. Vitus's dance yielded to harmony when I realized that God does not permit spasmodic twitching, and that as God's image I was not twitching, because the source of the image was not. The peace of quieted nerves and muscles was wonderful to me. That shoulders so long stooped could straighten and that fingernail biting could completely cease were further proofs that "consciousness constructs a better body when faith in matter has been conquered" (ibid., p. 425).
