I was playing with my son in a hotel pool and horsing around, when my nose suddenly hit the pool floor. I covered my face and left the pool, telling the kids I’d be back soon, and headed up to our hotel room to recompose myself. I knew I was bleeding. I cleaned up with a facecloth and then took a shower, but without any pain. I didn’t look in the mirror, and my wife helped me with bandages. Later I called an Association friend. I thought it was interesting that error would literally strike me in the face, despite all the mental work we had been doing together. But I didn’t yet realize the importance of working about/treating this situation in particular.

In the past, I’ve experienced God’s immediate relief of pain by following this statement, “Banish the belief that you can possibly entertain a single intruding pain which cannot be ruled out by the might of Mind...” (Science and Health, p. 391: 9–11). Almost two decades earlier – before I had even heard of Mr. Phinney – I was wounded by a saw and had help from a practitioner who was a student of this Association, resulting in the eradication of pain. For me, this was a milestone for handling pain. 

For several days after the pool accident, I continued my day job, including meetings, wearing bandages that didn’t cover all the scrapes on my nose. But after a well-meaning but unwise friend posted a close-up picture of me on Facebook, I felt the healing was taking too long and mortal mind was having a heyday. I realized I needed to treat myself about my appearance and not just wait for time to pass. I recalled several testimonies describing healings of burns that I’d read in the Sentinel and also our Leader’s words to Adam Dickey, “…whenever anything happens to you of an unfortunate nature, do not admit anything on the wrong side, but instantly declare that the experience does you good. Even if you should fall down and break your leg, get up and say, ‘I am the better for this experience’” (We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Expanded Edition, Vol 2, p. 424).

I took up the case and treated myself, starting by handling fear with love, and then moving to specifics. I included the truth that the thinking of many mortals couldn’t make something more real.

I forgot about the issue. Within a day or so, all of the scabs fell off in the shower, and I could lift up my face without spot. When I went to work with a clean face, my boss commented “the healing came fast!” (We don’t usually use the word healing in the office, because the thought there is not yet open to spiritual healing.)

In reviewing this experience, the mental leadings from the Christ and the willingness to treat any issue stand out to me. Also the urgency of praying for ourselves, as we are the lights of this world.