The timing and decision felt connected when I became a nun in my early 30s.

Family Roots

I grew up in a family of seven siblings; nine people who lived in a 1,300-square-foot home.

My parents practiced their faith via Catholicism in a way that worked for them. They also instilled the importance of a relationship with God and empowered us to nurture that relationship in our way.

My parents also taught us to live together as a loving family within a minimal space - the future inspiration for community living.

Three core values stand out when I think of my family's influence on my spiritual growth:

1. Gratitude - be grateful for the gift of life to live this day.

2. Inclusion - respect, welcome, and be kind to everyone.

3. Service - do your part to make the world better.

Here's what drew me to religious life.

My formal education traversed a Catholic grade school, an all-girls high school, a state university, and a Catholic seminary.

Nuns were part of the equation in my educational journey.

They were like the billboard signs of life, reminding you that you only have so much time to live as fully as possible to make a difference.

Like my family background, the nuns kept reflecting outward this question through the example of how they lived:

What will you do with your life that will matter to others?

This question motivates me to this day.

3 Reasons Why I Became a Nun

1. Go Deep - to grow in my relationship with my higher power (Love) and go deep in my life's purpose.

2. Belong - be part of a community that will help me grow into a better version of myself.

3. Impact - work with a community for good in the world.

I became a nun in 1993 and left in 2001.

I will share more in forthcoming essays about why I left, the stories during that time, and the experiences that still inspire me today.