Article August 5, 1991 Issue

I was looking for physical comfort, not "religion"!

Finding Light

Who couldn't use more light, more clarity in a time of questioning? And if we are in the middle of our own search for light, it sometimes helps to hear the experiences of others who are finding "there ariseth light in the darkness," as the Psalmist describes it. This column records some experiences that may be useful to those who are looking for new answers. The accounts are anonymous in order to give authors the opportunity to talk freely about earlier lifestyles and attitudes that may have been considerably different from what they now value. Of necessity, the recounting of experiences is telescoped in its time frame, and these narratives do not attempt to tell a complete story. But they do show something of the wide range of seekers and the way in which the light of Christ, Truth, restores, redirects, and regenerates lives.

My account is not that of a single dramatic healing. It is more in the nature of relating a spiritual odyssey that began, as many do, with a desire for physical healing. And it is not intended as an "I've-come-a-long-way, baby!" piece. Rather it is written in gratitude for others—fellow voyagers, who, by sharing their experiences in the Christian Science periodicals, have provided constant encouragement to me over the past nine years. It is also written in hope that others who are taking their first steps toward a better understanding of the Christ—steps so often prompted by physical or emotional distress—may find similar encouragement from my experiences.

In November 1982 I was depressed about a physical problem with my leg and hip. I had tried a total of four orthopedic physicians from two cities, two sports medicine clinics, had a CAT scan on my back, tried transcendental meditation—all without relief. In addition, my marriage—a second one for both my wife and me—needed healing as well.

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