To Whom It May Concern*:
 
I am writing this email hoping that it finds…well…whoever it needs to find.  I felt, for some odd reason, the need to share my story as to what A Course In Miracles has done for me.
 
Years ago (20 years ago) a friend recommended the book You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.  She quotes The Course in her book, “You who desire peace can find it only by complete forgiveness”.  I figured I would research this mysterious book and give it a shot.  I found the book hiding in a very cluttered bookstore in Salem, Massachusetts in 1990.  I began to read it but never fully understood it.  To me, it was just a series of words jumbled together.  It may as well have been in cuneiform.  Nonetheless, through ‘strange coincidences’, I kept meeting people who had read The Course.  The oddest encounter was on a subway platform in Boston where an artist designed quotes from The Course in calligraphy on paper.  Still…I didn’t understand any of it.  I simply could not comprehend the words. 
 
After many trials in my life, around the same time, I went to a fairly well renowned Native American Seer in Salem.  She told me to focus on what I wanted to know about.  I just kept thinking on how I wanted peace in my life.  She then told me that the answer to what I was thinking was in a “Black book with gold lettering”.  I thought of The Course but ruled it out because the one I had was blue with gold lettering.  So, dismayed, I pushed on in life.
 
Many (and I do mean many) trials later, only a month ago in fact, I stumbled across the documentary The Story of A Course In Miracles.  I watched it intently.  I was floored when it spoke of Helen Schucman’s dream or vision of a “black book with gold lettering”.  Then I looked on Amazon.com and saw the new Original Edition.  Mind you, during these past twenty years, I repeatedly picked up, and subsequently put down, The Course whereas, again, it consistently made no sense to me whatsoever.  I met people who met Marianne Williamson personally, I met people whose lives were saved by The Course, all through the oddest of ‘coincidences’.  Still…I could not relate to this Spirit of Peace.
 
I purchased the Original Edition, following through with the prophesy of this seer.  Well…my eyes were opened.  It finally made sense.  I do not know how on earth this additional material was omitted, but it never should have been.  Then, whether it be through human intuition or Divine Inspiration, I had the following insight and wanted to share.
 
This Kenneth Wapnick was and is completely ego driven (in the every-day use of the word ‘ego’, as in prideful and selfish).  He never should have had his hand in the editing process.  I will not buy his books nor listen to a word he has to say.  I know The Course does not advocate a devil, per say, but there are clearly forces working against The Course that would see the message distorted.  I know that his word manipulation was a disservice to me, and cost me 20 years of understanding.  Nonetheless, all happens for a reason.  Yet, Kenneth Wapnick is the “unhealed healer” The Course speaks of.
 
That having been said, now that I actually understand what I am reading, and am obtaining peace from it, I will continuously purchase copies of the Original Edition and give them out as gifts to thus spread the message of The Course.  Further, I dedicate myself to making certain people know which copy of The Course they are reading.  One is correct.  The other is not.  Simple as that.

Well…I don’t even know if anyone will ever read this email, but…that’s my experience and opinion.
 
Kind Regards,
Eric F.

* Course in Miracles Society [CIMS] wants to mention that the A Course in Miracles as edited by Ken Wapnick and Helen Schucman has brought much Peace to many, many people. In fact, some people prefer the Wapnick Foundation for Inner Peace version over the original edition. We are not ones to ever say what form a message will need to take to be helpful. We are grateful for any and all versions of A Course in Miracles. We thank Eric for his comments and wish him well on his journey without distance.