The state championship swim meet of my junior year in high school gave me an opportunity to apply the truths of Christian Science to a problem that I had faced the whole swimming season. I needed to understand the true meaning of victory and competition. It gave my teammates—also Christian Scientists—a chance to prove God's complete control, guidance, and power too.

During the swim meets throughout the season I was happy after an event only if my time was good. If I swam a slow race, I would get down on myself and everybody around me. This attitude only hurt my performance and my teammates' too because we wouldn't be concentrating on our events.

After one particularly bad meet I was so upset that I quit the team. My coach was loving and supportive, and we discussed the situation. He pointed out the wrongness of my reasoning, and together we talked openly about God and worked on correcting my thought. Afterward I left feeling much calmer, and I decided to remain on the team after all.

I brought the problem up to my Sunday School teacher that Sunday, and she shared a pamphlet with me that's put out by The Christian Science Publishing Society. It was exactly what I needed. The first sentence in the pamphlet assured me that God is never frustrated or inactive. I related this to my situation in swimming where it seemed as if frustration was getting the better of me. As I am in truth a spiritual being—the direct reflection of God—I am not subject to frustration or sorrow. These limiting attitudes are imposed, and since they do not proceed from God, I had to understand that I could be happy no matter what the stopwatch said. This is a divine right.

Another helpful idea in the pamphlet emphasized the fact that God's love for man guarantees a solution to every apparent discord. Problems aren't just halfway solved. I realized God could meet my needs completely. I had put in hard work throughout the season, and I was entitled to be blessed in a tangible way. A sentence from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy that meant a lot to me was (p. 403): "You command the situation if you understand that mortal existence is a state of self-deception and not the truth of being."

At the state meet, when my two events came up, I held to the fact that only God is governing and that He is in complete control. I swam my all-time best in one event, and even though I didn't match this mark in the other event, I was still happy. A healing had taken place. My joy couldn't be taken away. Our relay team did very well, setting a new school record by 3.5 seconds—quite a large amount of time to peel off the old record.

The team as a whole was blessed by the experience of competing in the state meet. A greater sense of unity and brotherhood was established. Pressure was also overcome with a calm confidence in God.

We came out of the meet with a second-place trophy for the school but, more important, I gained a better understanding of my relationship to God and the blessing that can be attained when I apply this knowledge correctly.

TONY VICTOR
Gates Mills, Ohio

As Tony's coach, I am happy to corroborate the wonderful demonstration he has related. His healing and change in attitude had a profound and positive effect on the team as well as on Tony.

KEITH W. PRESTON