After retiring as an elementary school art teacher, I continued working for several years as a substitute teacher in public schools until they closed in early 2020 because of the pandemic. With the resulting inactivity and social isolation, I began to feel that my life had become stagnant. So I decided to focus on my spiritual growth. I spent months reading and studying the Christian Science textbook—Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures—and other writings by Mary Baker Eddy and gained so much.

The chapters “Genesis” and “Creation” in the textbook particularly caught my attention. These two chapters explore the spiritual account of creation presented in the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible, including the true nature of man made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit. They also expose as unreal—as misinformation and distortions—a materially based account of creation in the three chapters of Genesis that follow. Everything I was learning during this time of quiet study and reflection proved invaluable months later when I was faced with making an important decision.

As I prayed about what to do, I wondered, “Am I misidentifying myself?”