Article March 3, 2003 Issue

Worry list Prayer list

By Beverly Goldsmith

THERE'S A LOT OF WORRY GOING AROUND . The threat of war with Iraq has been unsettling. Concern about biological and other forms of terrorism grows with the talk of war. Share prices are falling; gold and oil prices are rising. Many people are anxious about the future. And along with global concerns are the everyday fears and worries about personal health, finances, safety.

For some people, worry is just a part of modern life. It comes with the territory. Some even believe that they're "born worriers"—that it's a tendency that they inherit, a genetic trait. My neighbor thinks it's her job to worry. Her husband wants her to stop. She says she can't. Living with a worrier can be hard. My father was a great worrier; and he expected all of us in the family to worry right along with him.

I have to say that anxiety, pessimism, and negativity once seemed pretty normal to me. When I read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, however, I found that the book taught me how to pray effectively. And it convinced me that worrying about things is not part of our spiritual identity.