In the summer of 2009, I was outside working with an antique sickle (a curved, sharpened piece of metal used to cut long grass) to clear an area behind our house of weeds and brush. I had to swing the sickle hard to get through the undergrowth. Everything was fine until I started to get tired. Instead of stopping for a minute, I kept going, and as I swung the sickle, the tip stabbed me deeply in the calf of my leg. I stopped and calmed myself by affirming that “accidents are unknown to God . . .” (Science and Health, p. 424). Although I felt calmer, I called a Christian Science practitioner and she prayed with me and directed me to passages in Science and Health that I could read and think about.
I had recently started a new job that involved a 3/4-mile walk to and from the office from a train station. I was also training for a marathon at that time. I was still having trouble walking the next day, but I continued affirming God’s presence and control, reading Science and Health, and praying with the practitioner. The next day, I was able to walk well enough, and getting to and from the train station was OK.
Progress continued. I was able to sleep comfortably at night, and the swelling continued to go down. By the end of the following week, I was able to resume training for the marathon. It is now many months later, and I have had no further problems with my leg; in fact, I can’t remember which leg it was. I did complete the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2009 and continue to run for enjoyment.
