Several years ago over a period of many months I experienced a nervous breakdown. In praying for me, the Christian Science practitioner undoubtedly saw I needed to express more joy. She was untiring in her efforts to lift my thought, which at times was very heavy with self condemnation and depression.
During this time our son and daughter reached their late adolescent and early adult years and were questioning, and at times challenging, their early home and Christian Science Sunday School training and standards they had been brought up with. My husband and I struggled to communicate wisely with each other and with them. Perhaps other parents who have had or are having similar situations will draw courage from my healing. In retrospect, I am humbly grateful for the love and patience of my family and their supporting kindness, and can only rejoice that I was forced to reestablish my own convictions and renew acquaintance with statements of great spiritual truth and significance which were so familiar that they had become mechanical.
The value of silent prayerful acknowledgment of God's goodness was brought out to me by the practitioner. Gradually this constructive prayerful acknowledging of God's goodness replaced the haranguing and pleading type of prayer which had accomplished so much less! A desire for deeper study of Mrs. Eddy's writings was awakened in me and new passages of rich significance poured into my thought. One such paragraph is found in Science and Health where she writes on page 102: "There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit. The pointing of the needle to the pole symbolizes this all-embracing power or the attraction of God, divine Mind." This passage was a daily companion, which answered many fears regarding our young people and their natural desire to grow up. I learned a little of my duty to love and pray for all mankind.
