I have always relied on Christian Science for healing and direction. Up until I became a teen-ager, however, I had always thought of my healings as something that my mother or a Christian Science practitioner had done; but the older I became, the more I realized that healings took place in my own life through the power of divine Mind. One healing in particular was most uplifting to me.

When I was in my sophomore year in high school I participated in many sports. I had always been very proficient in track and field, and that year I set the school records in the sprinting events.

About this time I was struggling with a friendship difficulty with a classmate. Even though I knew my job was to see her as the perfect child of God, I didn't. She seemed to me to be jealous, immoral, and unkind.

About two weeks before I was to participate in an international track meet, I pulled a muscle in my thigh. As the pain became worse each day, I was not able to participate in the practices.

Soon after speaking with my coach, I brought this situation to the attention of my mother. She read me some passages from the Bible and from Mrs. Eddy's writings, which I held to throughout each day of school. However, not only was I frustrated, angry, and in pain from this experience, but I also felt jealous toward the girl who was temporarily taking my place on the track team.

I decided to call a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful support, and this turned my whole outlook around. He said one thing that really stuck with me. He told me not to see the girl that was running in my place with envy, jealousy, or hatred but to be grateful that she had the opportunity to run. When he told me that, I decided to try this.

During the next day of practice, the temptation to resent the girl came again. I immediately refuted this and saw her as God's child, His spiritual idea who expresses the grace of Soul.

This healing of jealousy made me think of my classmate, my so-called friend. I thought, "Does she deserve the same kind of love and kindness that I expressed toward the runner on my team? Of course she does." I decided to get a false sense of man out of the way and to hold to the truths that God never made an evil, jealous, immoral person but rather created each one of us as the true reflection of Himself, forever expressing Principle, Soul, Love. I kept holding to these thoughts and soon found myself loving this girl for the spiritual qualities she derived from God.

A week before the big track meet, my friend with whom I had been in conflict came up to me and asked if we could have lunch. From that moment on, there was never again any trouble between us. And within a couple of days I realized that my leg was fine.

On the next day of practice my coach approached me and asked if I could run in the upcoming meet because the girl who was going to run for me had been put in a different event that was better suited for her. Of course I accepted, but I worried that since I had not been practicing, there was no way I could be ready. But, boy was I ready spiritually! And that preparation resulted in my completing all of my events in first or second place.

I learned that when I consistently stand for Truth, for good, I will be blessed. And I saw that this holds true for everyone else involved. This was not just a healing of a leg muscle but a time of spiritual growth that gave me a better understanding of what God's man really is—spiritual.

Kelly Ann Beveridge
Whittier, California