During my freshman year in high school I became completely bored with school, and after Christmas vacation, when classes resumed, I no longer had any desire to do the work. I wanted no part of high school; in fact, I wanted to drop out. I began to cut classes and, eventually, cut most of them over a period of two months. During this time, the school guidance counselor and vice-principal tried to get me to return to my classes. But I didn't want to, and my attitude toward school continued to deteriorate. Finally, after many warnings, the vice-principal informed me that according to school regulations, I could be expelled from school for the rest of the year. This would also mean I would fail all of my classes, would not receive any credits, and would have to repeat my grade the following year.
At this point I realized what a serious predicament I had got myself into, so I went to get help from a Christian Science practitioner. I explained everything to her. She asked me if I was sorry for what I had done, and I said yes. Then she made it clear that I needed to be sincere in what I was saying and to have an earnest desire to change my attitude toward school. The qualities she said I needed to express more of were honesty, obedience, forthrightness, and sincerity. I just knew that as a child of God I could reflect only His qualities, and that wherever I was, God was right there with me. I decided to put all of my trust in Him.
After this, my mother and I left for school to meet with the vice-principal. He talked with her and then called me into his office and asked me if I would agree to his terms: to obey the school rules and to attend all of my classes. I told him I would, and he informed me that despite school regulations he would only suspend me for one day. After that, I could return with a clean record as long as I was obedient.
