If there was one thing I wanted in my life, it was to please my parents. They had given me a flawless childhood. I hoped to reward them for their devotion, by carving out a perfect life for myself. One that was rich in love and success, so that they could reflect on how well they’d empowered me. And that’s what I did.
Obedient daughter, pretty good student, some talent in music and art, I was on the precipice of adulthood when I decided then, as a Catholic, to aim for its highest state. I joined a convent. Each day became one of determination to fulfill some mysterious quest in there.
I was successful as a classroom teacher, but not as a devout nun. I resisted everything put before me that they said would ultimately lead toward eternal bliss. In time, I hit more walls than the obvious one, and left that cell-hold confinement for the freedom Americans grew to expect.
-Gretchen Grossman