Child saved from rapids

Linda Gorman

One morning in late spring, when my youngest son, Teddy, was about six years old, my sister-in-law and I took our children for a walk on the lower trail at Taughannock Falls in upstate New York. There had been a lot of rain during the previous few days, and the river was full of muddy water rushing toward the falls. But at the very edge, the water seemed calm and was only a few inches deep, so we felt safe to wade in up to our ankles.

It was warm, and when Teddy asked if he could sit down in the water where we were all standing, I said OK. Suddenly, he was carried away by the current, and in seconds he was moving rapidly down the center of the stream, floating on his back toward the lower falls. Humanly, there didn’t seem to be any way to stop this. The water was moving too fast, and the falls were too close. Terror seized me; I couldn’t move, but I immediately reached out to God, divine Love. Instantly two verses from the Bible came to my thought: “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13) and “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10).

As a child, I had attended a Southern Baptist Sunday school and learned to love the Bible and to pray with humility. When I became interested in Christian Science in college, I read Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy. It helped me understand the Bible and Christ Jesus’ healing works, as well as the “deep and conscientious protests of Truth” (Science and Health, p. 12) that were his prayers. Through the teachings of Christian Science, I learned that God is good and all-powerful, and I came to see that healing through prayer is natural, not miraculous, since it is the result of God’s law being applied.

So on that day at the falls, I instinctively turned to this law of good and listened for God’s direction to save my son. I found myself saying, “Teddy, turn over!” He heard me and tried, and said, “I can’t!” I yelled: “Yes, you can. Turn over and stand up!” He tried again and was able, after a struggle, to turn over and catch his feet on some contours in the rocks. The water was deeper and faster there, but he was able to stand. He looked so small out there, with the turbulent water up to his thighs. My heart leaped for joy when I saw him stand! Then my sister-in-law walked out into the river—she had walked quite a distance downstream by that time, over slippery rocks that were hidden in the rapids—and lifted Teddy up and brought him back safely. I’ll always be thankful for her courage.

I’m grateful to God, infinite Love, for this rescue. The joy I felt on that day has stayed with me and strengthened my confidence in prayer for the healing of physical problems, character issues such as self-will, relationship challenges, as well as situations where safety is threatened. This kind of prayer has continued to bring the blessings of unselfed love to my thought and experience.

Linda Gorman
Lansing, New York, US

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June 18, 2012

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