During the first twelve years of my life I had one physical difficulty after another. Frequently sick, I had diseases commonly associated with children and had taken all kinds of medicine. During an examination our family doctor said that I had heart trouble and shouldn't participate in strenuous sports. That was a blow because I loved sports.
About this time I picked up a copy of Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. This book had been given to my mother by my grandmother, and it had been on our bookshelf for years.
As I began to read, the very first sentence stood out to me: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." Farther on the same page I read, "The time for thinkers has come," and I knew that I had found something to lean upon. I read this book for about three hours, feasting on every word. Right then and there I decided that I didn't want to take any more medicine. I told my mother about this, and to my surprise she said, "You don't have to take it if you feel that strongly." The next Sunday I enrolled as a pupil in a Christian Science Sunday School and attended regularly.
