Mrs. Eddy states in Retrospection and Introspection (p. 21), "It is well to know, dear reader, that our material, mortal history is but the record of dreams, not of man's real existence, and the dream has no place in the Science of being." I have begun to understand what Mrs. Eddy means in the above statement and to appreciate the fact that all that is going on is the dawning of light (understanding) in human consciousness.
The earliest recollections of my childhood include war, poverty, exile, moving from one displaced-persons camp to another, vague memories of a homeland, Latvia, and then being thrust into a completely new world of what seemed fast-moving and fast-speaking people whose language I could not speak or understand. But when we came to the United States, my parents began to attend a Church of Christ, Scientist, regularly, and my brother and I were enrolled in the Sunday School.
It was about this time that I had a healing in Christian Science which meant a great deal to me. I remember being bewildered, unhappy, and having difficulty with my teacher at school. In desperation I turned to God for help. Although I did not understand most of what I read, I faithfully read one section of the Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly every day, and the light came, for I progressively improved in understanding my relationship with God, and also in speaking and writing English. The bewilderment and unhappiness as well as the difficulty with my teacher, disappeared. I do not recall the specific truths that helped me at this time, but I know I gained from my consistent study of the lesson a feeling of peace and harmony.
