Article January 1, 2000 ISSUE

"He had charted my personality"

Elizabeth Toohey—New York, New York

Last fall, I took a position as an adjunct professor at a college in the Bronx. I taught two composition courses in the mornings and held office hours in between.

At least half a dozen instructors shared department offices. I shared mine with a colleague whose hours overlapped with mine. He was a new instructor who was teaching while he completed his degree.

At the time, I was feeling inadequate as a professor. I was, and still am close in age to many of my students. I joked with my friends that I'd never taught anything before, except swimming for 12-year olds.

I prayed every day, trying to understand that God was the source of my intelligence and also that my students — children of God — had access to all the creativity and understanding of this universal intelligence. I also turned to God for inspiration and guidance in structuring lesson plans, grading assignments, and developing poise in the classroom.

Often when a problem came up in class, I would ask my colleague for feedback. We seemed to be developing a friendship. But sometimes we had intense disagreements about our teaching philosophies. As our friendship grew stronger, the conflicts became more frequent. When I was around him, I noticed myself falling back into patterns of behavior that I felt I'd outgrown, such as a tendency to be moody or lose my temper easily.

The night before our last day of classes, I found myself thinking, “I just know we're going to go nine rounds tomorrow.” Then almost immediately I thought, “I can't know anything except that God loves me.” What I needed to do was recognize that God would direct my actions, and this would bring healing to the situation. This idea was clear and calming. I fell asleep peacefully.

The following day, after class, my colleague closed the office door and pulled up a chair across from mine. He told me he studied astrology, and that when he realized we would be sharing an office he had charted my personality. He said that, based on my sign, I was very intelligent and artistic, but that I “blew hot and cold.” His astrological charts told him that my personality would inevitably be temperamental.

While he talked, I prayed. I refused to believe that my astrological sign could cause me to be the kind of person he was describing. I knew that my identity was created and established by God, and was independent of any kind of material conditions or expectations. I knew that I didn't have a personality shaped by the stars.

In just those few moments, I felt all the tension dissolve, as though it had been sucked out of the window. I had mentioned to him some time earlier that I was a Christian Scientist. And now I explained to him why it would be inconsistent for me to believe in astrology — because I understand God as being All. Then I left the office feeling that God had healed the problem.

My colleague later told me that he felt so calm after reading a magazine I'd given him to read (a Christian Science Journal), that he decided to read Science and Health, which I'd also given him. Now he is regularly turning to God.

Having this happen made me realize once again the importance of prayer. And it helped my friend discover his relationship with God.

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