"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). This vital commandment was taught by Christ Jesus. I doubt that I loved even myself during the months of October and November 1984. I barely tolerated my neighbors, and I detested one of the presidential nominees. This behavior was certainly not in accord with Christ Jesus' teachings. By failing to be spiritually selective in my thinking, I suffered a temporary loss of my usual friendly, joyful manner.
Around that time I woke one morning to discover that I couldn't lift my arms to comb my hair. Making the bed and performing even a minimum of household chores were difficult. In the past, on the rare occasions when any physical trouble had occurred, I had usually been able to effect an immediate healing by praying, recognizing the unreality of the disorder and affirming the reality of God's perfection, reflected by man, His creation.
This time, my thinking clouded by unloving thoughts, I did not immediately use the wonderful living tools I had acquired through daily study of the weekly Bible Lesson, as outlined in the Christian Science Quarterly. For about ten days, during my evening walk in the mobile-home park where I live, I swung my arms as high as I could. Exercise didn't improve their mobility. I even considered using a hot ointment and having the disability diagnosed.
