Run, pray, swim
As a teenager in today’s culture, it’s sometimes felt difficult for me to stay spiritually minded on a day-to-day basis. I don’t always go straight to prayer in Christian Science for an answer. This is when remembering my experiences from summer camp (a camp for Christian Scientists) comes in perfectly. Camps like the one I go to help nurture thought to lean on God all the time, including when things get tough and there are struggles and challenges.
In the summer of 2013, I spent seven weeks at a Christian Science camp as a CIT, or counselor in training. As CITs, we are preparing to become counselors, so we are constantly growing spiritually and learning to use Christian Science to guide us through each activity. One instance that helped me grow a lot was when our counselors told us we were all (including them) going to be silent for an entire day. It would be a time of self-discovery and listening to God, free from distractions. Well, the next moment after telling us this news, our counselors said we were all going to run two miles into town, then jump in the lake and swim those same two miles back to camp—silently.
As a cabin, we’d been working out and preparing for hikes, sports, and other activities that required us to be in shape. And while preparing we were all constantly supporting each other with words, with spiritual ideas and encouragement. So, immediately, when I heard we weren’t talking for an entire day, I was so frightened that I thought there was no way I could do the run and swim without constant verbal support from my cabin mates.
Our counselors only said a few words before we left on the run. They reminded us that we don’t always need to use verbal prayer to help each other. Praying and supporting each other silently works, too.
It would be a time of self-discovery and listening to God, free from distractions.
We were off before we even had the chance to want to say anything! We had to instantly know we were prepared with the God-given spiritual perseverance and energy to accomplish our goal. Starting was easy. We stuck together on the run, so I looked around me at each of my cabin mates and recognized each spiritual quality they expressed that I was grateful for—poise, strength, grace, patience, courage, selflessness, etc. Focusing on appreciating my cabin mates was very calming and effective, knowing their individual strengths complimented and revealed my own. I didn’t spend time focusing on my breathing, muscles, or pace. My thought process and physical movement was becoming natural and effortless. Before I knew it, we were rounding the last bend to the dock by the lake.
After drinking some water and changing into our bathing suits, we jumped into the chilly lake. I’d done this swim before, but felt like this might be the most demanding part. I wasn’t sure how this would go.
As we all were at different levels of swimming, we stuck in a few small groups rather than one large group. I tried to keep pace with two other girls. I had to rest many times in the beginning. As soon as we had a steady strong pace of front crawl stroke, I immediately started praying more deeply than I ever had before. I had no one to talk to, look at, or listen to except God.
I started thinking about what I was grateful for, and then took time to focus on the camp’s summer metaphysical theme, based on a quote from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, which we had memorized, “Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence” (p. 249 ). I realized, since we reflect the one Mind, we were all together, “one,” on this challenge. This brought me peace, knowing we were conquering weakness, tiredness, and at the same time progressing toward a greater understanding of our true spiritual identity. At this point, I felt as if prayer was literally moving me.
With God as my strength, I finished the swim with a personal record. A sense of joy and accomplishment overwhelmed me! I greeted my incoming cabin mates as they got to shore. We hugged, silently congratulating each other on completing what had seemed like an impossible task.
Remembering this experience helps me whenever I worry about myself—my grades, my appearance, my future. I am reminded of who I am and what I really rely on. To go to camp and be challenged to understand the power of our own prayers for ourselves and others is so valuable. And to be silent and realize how much God is really on my side, guiding my life, is the most calming and comforting feeling in the world.
