It’s a common experience, when someone meets a new acquaintance, that they share where they’re from and what their occupations are. For me, a full-time Christian Science practitioner, this means that I often have opportunities to share information about Christian Science and about the public practice of Christian Science with others who are not familiar with it. Admittedly, I haven’t always been very graceful at it, and I continue to learn with each new opportunity.
One of my first opportunities to share that I’m a Christian Science practitioner came in my first year after graduating from college. I’d recently become a full-time practitioner, and around this time I was also introduced to the sport of triathlon. Through my participation in this sport, I met many new people.
During group bike rides, I sometimes had brief conversations with other riders. Ironically these conversations often happened when we were strenuously climbing uphill. When I was asked, “What do you do?” I stumbled to find the right words, between gasps for air, and gave an unsatisfying answer.
