I grew up in a Christian Science household, but in my early twenties I distanced myself from the religion. I thought it was just naivete to rely on the beautiful and good. Then my grandmother asked me if I would go with her to the 2002 Annual Meeting & Conference. She really wanted to go and asked me to accompany her. So for her sake I agreed to go.
I was expecting a "clubby" atmosphere, and I doubted that I would fit in. But I have to honestly say that the first thing that impressed me was the surroundings. I had not expected this feeling of having come home. I felt so good seeing The Mother Church. The atmosphere was cheerful, but not clubby at all. Most of all, it struck me as a very strength-filled atmosphere. You had the feeling that a lot of praying had been put into the meeting. That impressed me the most. All the meetings and events were very open, very free, but powerful, extremely appealing. They were the exact opposite of naivete; they expressed a powerful conviction of thought.
At Annual Meeting I felt the depth and sincerity of what it means to rely on God's love. I've known Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy since my childhood, but as I sat in the plane after Annual Meeting and began to read, it was as if I were reading the sentences in the book for the first time. Since then l've tried to apply its ideas in my daily life. And that has already brought changes.
