Life has a way of leading us through both light and dark paths.

I have a few vivid memories from my childhood-of being a joyful, creative, free­ spirited child who loved nature and always wondered why people acted the way they did. From a young age, I remember observing others, often feeling as though I wasn’t from this planet. I was connected to the teachings of Jesus through the religion I was brought up in, and I often questioned why we said one thing and did another. His teachings, to me, were about love, compassion, respect, and acceptance. Yet, the world around me seemed hard and different.