Testimony of Healing March 23, 1981 Issue

Replacing physical with spiritual attraction

DEBORAH HARRIS JAMES with contributions from PHYLLIS A. HARRIS

During my freshman year at college I met a young man who was very handsome, and I felt instantly attracted to him. I willingly let a physical assessment of this individual govern my feelings. Whenever I saw him thereafter, I'd become so anxious and flustered that I'd lose my usual calmness and poise, and if time went by without our paths crossing I'd be very disappointed.

My emotions became a regular roller coaster, up one day and down the next. Mrs. Eddy cautions (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 79): "If beset with misguided emotions, we shall be stranded on the quicksands of worldly commotion, and practically come short of the wisdom requisite for teaching and demonstrating the victory over self and sin."

Finally the day came when he asked me out. The invitation was to spend an intimate weekend with him at his house. I was surprised and troubled. Because of what I was learning in the Christian Science Sunday School, I knew I couldn't honestly accept his invitation. I did what I felt instinctively was right and turned him down, but I was very depressed about it. For months I couldn't shake that letdown feeling.

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