Having attended a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, off and on for many years, I intended to join the Church—someday. But the question in my mind was always whether there would be enough time to fulfill all of the obligations of church membership. I also wondered if my lifestyle was fully in accord with all the provisions of the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy.
Wakened by severe chest pains early one morning, I was overcome by fear. Several hours passed, and dawn arrived without any noticeable relief. It was my decision to go to the hospital, so an ambulance was called. The diagnosis was a moderate heart attack brought on by heart disease.
There was much loving care and attention given to me at the hospital over the next several weeks. But it became apparent that even with all of the modern human technology, there was a very limited amount that could be done for me. I returned home, and I had plenty of time for reading. It seemed quite natural to turn to Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. Reading this book opened my eyes to the possibility of getting out of this predicament and showed me that it was time to make a new beginning.
