When Christian Science came into my life, a very troublesome medical diagnosis was hanging over me: deficient circulation. The last vascular specialist I consulted had told me I couldn't even wash my hands with cold water, and that I would have to take medication to dilate my blood vessels for the rest of my life. I suffered from terrible crises. Consuming ice cream or cold drinks would produce chills, and the fact that I was about to move to Bogotá, a city 2,600 meters above sea level, only made me feel worse.

My husband had already begun studying Christian Science, and whenever I suffered one of these crises, he would tell me of a healing idea, affirming that all illness was devoid of a creative Principle, that it was only a waking dream, and that it was not caused by God and His love. He spoke to me about divine good as the only power able to wake me from that nightmare.

I remember he recommended I read the following in Science and Health: "... if sickness and sin are illusions, the awakening from this mortal dream, or illusion, will bring us into health, holiness, and immortality. This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth, which casts out error and heals the sick. This is the salvation which comes through God, the divine Principle, Love, as demonstrated by Jesus" (p. 230).

The great hope in the healing power of Love that these words gave me improved my health, and I was able to attend a dinner party with someone who was visiting us at that time. The conversation that night centered on healing by spiritual means, based on the understanding of the spiritual origin of all creation. I absorbed those ideas like a sponge. The fact that my heritage wasn't material, but came from Spirit itself, and that this heritage did not include any evil or sickness, began to feel real to me. I could see that my true identity consisted of spiritual ideas, all good, instead of merely a material body. My awakening from that "dream"—that misunderstanding of my spiritual origin—started that night.

From then on I dedicated myself to finding a better understanding of this healing Principle and living it. As I became more obedient to its laws, I began to nourish and strengthen myself spiritually; to overcome specific fears, such as the fear of a cold climate; to do without the medication; and so on.

I then spent many years without any discomfort, but then suffered another crisis, though not as severe. When this happened, I studied the spiritual description of the Bible character Japhet: "A type of spiritual peace, flowing from the understanding that God is the divine Principle of all existence, and that man is His idea, the child of His care" (Science and Health, p. 589).

I felt peace and joy to know myself, too, as "the child of His care"—having the attention and care of the great Physician, who is our divine Mind. With that I had no more fear of relapse and no longer needed the medication. This was 20 years ago, and it's been a permanent healing. Since then I've been living here in Bogotá. I eat ice cream and enjoy cold drinks—I lead a normal, problem-free life.

I'm certain that an enlightened understanding of God, and of my unity with Him as His daughter, diminished my belief in the reality of illness, and led me to freedom. This awakening, this healing power of God, happens in all ages, right now, and is within reach of everyone.

Graciela de García
BogotÁ, Colombia