After a happy and relatively carefree childhood, I looked forward to a career in art. Instead, while I was still in my late teens, severe financial reverses in my family's fortunes resulted in my going to America, where I had to fend for myself. While an excellent education had given me a fair knowledge of English, and I was willing to do any legitimate work, I had no real skills and just enough money for modest lodgings. Nor did I know anyone to help, advise, or direct me. To survive, I started in humble positions—observing and learning in a job until I was ready to go on to the next one, always gaining some experience yet seeing no definite direction to my life. During these difficult years I often asked myself: Why? What is life? But I found no encouraging answers.
Once I concluded that life was not worth living. But I did not know what to do about it. Then in a dream one night I was drowning and I didn't seem to care. Suddenly a light appeared somewhere and I surfaced—and woke up from the dream. Soon after, I met a young woman whose attitude impressed me. We became friends and eventually rented an apartment together. After that, every morning while I prepared my breakfast I noticed that she would read a book. When I asked her what she was reading that early in the morning, she said it was the Bible. This struck me as peculiar. (I even wondered if she was a religious fanatic!) Then I told her that I did not believe in God and was not interested in the Bible. One day, however, she started to talk to me about God. I listened reluctantly, but when she pointed out that God was the only cause and creator, I perked up and began to ask questions. She told me that she was a student of Christian Science. Soon I bought a copy of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy and, with a Bible, began reading the Bible Lessons. Later, through this friend I met other Scientists whom I liked, and they asked me to attend church with them.
I will never forget that first service. Although I understood very little of what was read (I didn't even know the Lord's Prayer), I was impressed by the happy faces and everyone's look of well-being. From that time on I never missed a service, and I studied the weekly lessons more thoughtfully. Still I had a hard time accepting that there was good in store for me.
