Article April 8, 2013 Issue

Love saved us on a summer's day

Pamela Brittenham

Originally appeared as a Web original on March 6, 2013.

When I was in high school, I had an experience that changed my life. By that I mean that I gained proof that God is Love and that He is always present with us. I had been told this by my loving parents and Sunday School teachers, and every Sunday I had seen the words “God is Love” (see I John 4:16) in big gold-colored letters on the wall of the Sunday School. But it was an experience among high school friends, none of whom was a Christian Scientist, that left me with proof of those sacred words.

On a hot summer day in August, five of us cooked up the idea to go to a local quarry to swim and lie on the rocks to bask in the sun. Since none of us had cars, and we were just learning to drive, we asked the mother of one of the girls if she would take us. She did, and when she dropped us off, she told us to be at the side of the road at 5:00 p.m. so she could pick us up. It was a country road without much traffic, and we just had to walk a short way through some wooded areas to the deserted quarry. My mother had given me permission to go swimming with my friends, but looking back, I am sure had she realized we were by ourselves without phone access (this was before cellphones), she might not have allowed me to go.

We had a wonderful afternoon, what one would term an idyllic time. A little before 5:00 p.m. we gathered our things and made our way back to the road to wait for my friend’s mother. Unfortunately, she was late. We waited and waited together, certain that she would come by at any minute. 