Ginger's Story

Barbara G. Gerardi

Patti had always loved the beautiful picture hanging on the wall of her Sunday School. The picture showed a little child standing with a group of wild animals. Her Sunday School teacher had told the class that it represented a verse in the Bible that told of the time when the beasts would live together and "a little child shall lead them."^{Isa. 11:6;}

Patti loved animals, especially her dog, Ginger. One day when Patti got home from school, she found that Ginger had been badly hurt. Her tail thumped once limply when she saw Patti, but then she placed her head sadly on the floor between her paws and whimpered.

"Ginger is crying," Patti said.

"Patti, Ginger wants us to help her," her mother said. "She's trusting us to know what to do for her." Immediately Patti remembered the love and trust that the animals and the child in the picture expressed. She knew that a true sense of love means a willingness to help and comfort, and she loved Ginger enough to do that for her.

"All right," Patti said cheerfully, trying hard not to see the ugly condition. Instead she thought of Ginger's trust and gentleness and all the other qualities that she had from God.

Patti and her mother sat down to study their Bible and Science and Health together. They found that Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, expected us to understand the true state of God's creatures. "All of God's creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible,"^{Science and Health, p. 514.} she says in Science and Health. Patti and her mother began to see that although Ginger seemed to be hurt, she was really an indestructible idea of God, "moving in the harmony of Science."

Soon afterward, a stranger came to Patti's house and knocked on the door. "I'm very sorry to tell you this," said the stranger, "but I have killed your dog. My car hit the animal very hard and she ran off quickly, but she surely couldn't have lived much longer. The neighbors told me it was your dog."

Just then Ginger came trotting happily into the room, neither limping nor showing any sign of her accident.

"No, Ginger is perfect!" Patti cried.

The stranger was surprised but very happy to see Ginger well. Patti and her mother thanked God for the care He gives to all of His creatures.

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The Truth of Concentration

November 6, 1976

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