Upright, whole, and free

My husband, son, and I were at a friend’s home for a lovely dinner. After the meal we were looking at some things around the house, and as I was glancing up at light fixtures, I suddenly found myself falling down against several steps that led from one level of the house to the other, hitting them hard on one side of my body. I immediately affirmed out loud and with conviction that I was OK, and I was able to get up. My husband and son expressed loving concern as we drove home. Once there, I gently rolled into bed, praying the whole time. I had indications of injured or cracked ribs.

The suddenness of the event had initially impressed me. One moment everything was fine and then, blam—a crash. But I also immediately felt grateful to be able to put into practice—to claim—what I knew from studying Christian Science: that I was “upright, whole and free” (Violet Hay, Christian Science Hymnal, Hymn 12). I could never fall from God’s protective care. I thought about the everlasting arms of divine Love surrounding me completely, “beneath, around, above” (John R. Macduff, Hymnal, Hymn 53). 

Throughout that night I prayed, holding on to these ideas. The next morning I found many helpful reminders in the weekly Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly. I also read that week’s issue of the Sentinel and actually laughed when I read the article for kids (Jenny Sinatra, “Summer camp and Soul,” July 23, 2023). It felt as if it had been written just for me (haven’t we all felt that way when an article meets our needs?).