I’d had my ears pierced for my sixteenth birthday. Now, two years later, my earlobe was very swollen and painful. Attempting to alleviate the pain, I had it taken care of medically. The physician drained my earlobe and diagnosed me as having overactive oil glands. Then, a few months later, the other earlobe suddenly became swollen.

The pain was intense. But it was clear to me that medical treatment had brought only temporary results.   

I felt confident, from what I had learned growing up in Christian Science, that praying about this was the right step and would provide a permanent resolution. Christian Science Sunday School and the weekly Bible Lessons found in the Christian Science Quarterly had taught me that I am the reflection of God, good. The first chapter of Genesis in the Bible puts it this way: “God created man in his own image . . . ; male and female created he them.” And a little further on it says, “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (verses 27, 31). I wasn’t an imperfect mortal, then, but God’s beloved, very good child.