I thought my life was completely falling apart. It was 1991 and I had to give up my dream of completing the jazz vocal performance program at my local music college. My ex-husband demanded I drop out of school and get a job. I was drinking heavily, probably 2 liters of wine a day. I was 65 pounds overweight attributable to a junk food diet. My body was in such pain from the abuse that I could barely walk. I had considered suicide a number of times. One of the only joys I found in life was performing as a soloist at a local Science of Mind Church. Each week at the Sunday service, a very sweet lady would come and tell me how much she loved my singing. She also shared that she was working on obtaining her Reflexology certification and that if I would like, I was welcome to come and see her for a free session.

Something in me finally decided to call her and set up an appointment. That sweet wonderful lady was MSIA Minister Laurie D. (it was some time before she shared with me about MSIA). She worked on me once a week for free for a year and never asked for a penny. She told me as long as I was willing to support myself in healing and moving forward, she would continue to work with me and I could pay her as I was able. It was during this time that she shared with me about something called the Law of Reversibility. She also gently suggested I could try a new attitude towards my addiction. I was consumed by hatred of it and she suggested I try to loving it. What?! I was incredulous! How could I love this thing that was destroying my life?! Well, she explained, it had been a good friend to me and seen me through some very difficult times in my life and if it wasn’t for alcohol, I may have committed suicide a long time ago. Hmmmm. This was a huge paradigm shift for me, but it kind of felt really good to think this way and not be so harsh with myself.

Things slowly started to shift and soften within me. Over the time Laurie and I spent together, I asked her who the fellow was in all the photographs around her apartment. She explained his name was John-Roger and invited me to come to an MSIA open seminar. It sounded kind of cheesy to me and besides, I was certain I had found my spiritual home in Science of Mind. That night I had a dream I was with the fellow in her photos. It was so vivid and I felt so happy and alive and we were laughing so much. The next session I had with Laurie, I told her about the dream. I couldn’t remember the fellow’s name so I said, “Hey…I had a crazy dream about that Jolly-Roger guy in your pictures!” She laughed and laughed.

I started attending her Open Seminars and it was shortly thereafter that I voluntarily placed myself in an addiction treatment/rehab centre. That was August 1st 1993. I have not had a drink since. When I got out of rehab, the only job I could find was at a 7-11 and paid $5.00 an hour. I wrote to L.A. and explained that I would like to go on Discourses but I did not have $100. If they would send them, I would send them $10 a month until they were paid for. My Year 1 Discourses came in the mail shortly thereafter and I am still laughing. I LOVE you beautiful Jolly-Roger!!!