During the summer of 2020, my boyfriend and I swam around Mercer Island, Washington, in one- to two-mile segments. It was a joyful endeavor as we spent many sunny days together and progressed in feeling more and more comfortable in the water.
On one swim, however, I experienced a sharp pain in one of my lungs. It was debilitating and I found that each time I took a stroke I winced with pain. My boyfriend patiently helped me float and kick to our exit point and got me back home.
The pain had subsided significantly by the time I got home, but occasionally, when I breathed in, the sharpness would return. We had a big swim planned for the next day, one of our larger segments. I knew I needed to turn to God in this time of need.
As I reread the Bible Lesson from the Christian Science Quarterly for that week, I realized the phrase “praise the Lord,” or a variation of it, showed up many times. After contemplating the ideas shared in the Lesson, I recognized that my motives for completing this swim had gone astray. Instead of seeing the swim as an opportunity to praise God and express limitless divine Life, unceasing joy, and genuine humility, I had been swimming to impress people and prove what I could accomplish. This needed to be corrected.
A mental shift away from self-will and ego soon brought a deep sense of peace and rid me of any fear. My only duty was to praise the Lord! With these thoughts, I went to sleep easily that evening.
The next morning I was able to attend church online and had the opportunity to consider the ideas in the Bible Lesson for that week once more. Again I noted the importance of celebrating and acknowledging God in all I do, recognizing this was all that was being asked of me.
We closed the service with Hymn 542 from the Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603, and here is a verse that stood out to me:
The freer step, the fuller breath,
The wide horizon’s grander view;
The sense of Life that knows no
death,—
The Life that maketh all things
new.
(Samuel Longfellow)
I left for my planned swim right after church with the fullest sense of life in God, the freedom of Truth, and a freer step and fuller breath. Keeping those ideas with me, I swam with complete joy that day. In fact, it turned out to be my favorite swim segment of the entire summer. The sun seemed to shine even brighter, the water was completely calm, and I was there to praise God.
Throughout the rest of the summer and for the entirety of the 2021 swim season, there was no return of the pain. I am very grateful for that gentle reminder to check my motives and to keep the larger thought of God in full view.
Isabel Jamerson
Mercer Island, Washington, US
