A Christian Science practitioner once mentioned to me that, when people would call on her for help, they often say something like: “If only it wasn’t this problem. I can handle so many things, but this one problem is difficult for me.”

Immediately after Christmas, one of my beautiful companions, “Heidi,” had to be put to sleep. She had fought a good fight with the help of a devoted Christian Science practitioner and had had many healings in Christian Science during her twelve years with me. I had taken her off the street.

When my son passed away recently, everything seemed dark and desolate. One of the first telephone calls I made was to a Christian Science practitioner. I needed help to see my way out of this darkness. She read me these lines from Mary Baker Eddy’s Hymn 23: “Thou gentle beam of living Love, And deathless Life…” and offered to pray and support me. The practitioner gave compassionate, gentle, but firm support through this time of need.

I’ve just been catching up on the recent material posted on the Association website, and I have to respond to the Note from Iraq, which talks about getting human will out of the way. A lesson one can’t learn too often!

Last Sunday, as I was getting ready to leave for church and putting the breakfast dishes in the sink, I realized that the water was not running. Frozen pipes! A thought to send a chill through anyone living in a frigid climate.

Got home late last Monday—1:30 in the morning to be precise—to find the dog walker at home and in distress. All was revealed: She had lost her suitcase on a flight and, in her turmoil, had left her all-singing-and-dancing new telephone on the back seat of the taxi. Things were not looking rosy. The bag would, of course, be delivered by the airline—which it was—but the phone…

For many years I was underweight. This condition often brought suggestions of material remedies and much human sympathy from well-meaning family and friends.

In February of 2008, I was sued by a former real-estate client for fraud and failure to disclose after mold was discovered in the house they had purchased with my help.