I should like to tell of the healing...

Bessie L. Willey

I should like to tell of the healing of extreme fear of flying. Several years ago f went up three different times on fifteen-minute flights. Fear of great intensity attended each experience, mounting to an attack of hysteria on the last occasion. I refused to go up again, regardless of reason. I talked this situation over with a practitioner, who expressed the thought that should a need ever arise, I could, by looking to God for help, meet it just as any other human need is always met when one turns to divine Love.

A year or more ago it appeared that my husband might be offered a wonderful opportunity to work in Europe. To save time he would have to fly; but our son and I planned to go by boat. I spent many prayerful hours on the entire situation and kept my thought in line with God, knowing that to trust ourselves to His care was complete wisdom. Then I decided not to try to plan ahead but to meet each new day with fresh inspiration, listening always for the still small voice to guide me.

One night, when we were discussing transportation, I heard myself saying that I thought we should all go over together. This could only mean that we would all fly. My family were certain that they were not hearing correctly, but I was quick to reply that this seemed to be the right answer.

A short time later I was to attend my association meeting, which was being held one hundred and twenty-five miles away. The thought of flying kept coming to me. I kept repelling it, but it would not go away. So, as I analyzed the idea, I realized that in my thinking I was not as fearful as I had been previously. I wrote to my teacher, receiving from her much encouragement to make the demonstration.

About five days before the time to leave I purchased a plane ticket but did not tell my family about the flight until the night before leaving. About an hour before the time to leave the airport, the old fear returned. I called a practitioner for help and felt the effects of this help immediately.

As I sat in the plane before the take-off, I kept knowing that Truth eliminates fear. I opened a copy of the Sentinel that I had with me and read an article entitled "Be Free."

One sentence in the article caused me to realize that the changing of my position from one on the ground to one in the air or vice versa could not involve a change from a state of safety to a state of danger. I reasoned that if I understood that God is everywhere, then He was with me in the air as much as on the ground. The healing was complete. I soon found myself looking out the window and actually enjoying the scenery and identifying the landmarks as we passed them.

Our European opportunity materialized, and in less than a month we boarded a plane for the long flight. I completely enjoyed the trip.

My gratitude for Mrs. Eddy, who shared with the world this wonderful truth of being, knows no bounds. I am grateful for the selfless and untiring efforts of our practitioners. I am humbly grateful for instruction in the Christian Science Sunday School, for membership in The Mother Church and in a branch church, and for the privilege of class instruction. —(Mrs.) Bessie L. Willey, Van Nuys, California.

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Signs of the Times

December 3, 1960

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