When I retired in 1986, after almost 40 years in education, I decided, Now it's time for Jo. I get to do the things I want to do! My husband retired the same year I did. So we thought, Now's the time to enjoy. I'd been an active member of my Christian Science branch church for many years, and I looked forward to doing more at church.
Then five summers ago, my husband and I were on vacation, and I got a call from a member of our church who asked if I would pray for his sister. I did my best to convince him that I was not in the public healing practice but he said, "No, she needs your help. You're the one." I finally agreed to pray for her, and I've been busy almost every day since taking calls from people who ask me to pray for them. God obviously had new plans for me.
In regard to it being too early or too late to go into the public practice of Christian Science: I thought it was so interesting that in a letter to First Church of Christ, Scientist in Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Baker Eddy apologized for not being able to attend the dedicatory service of their church because she had been very busy. She added, "However, it is never too late to repent, to love more, to work more, to watch and pray ..." (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 195). I thought, What a wonderful answer to anybody who's thinking about going into the healing practice. It's never too late to love more.
