To Me, At Forty-four Years

My Life Was A Mystery Even As I Lived It.

My Therapist Shared A Theory She Had Come Across, And I Liked It. It Held That Before Making Your Next Journey In This Life, Your Soul Sits At A Large, Circular Conference Table And Chooses The Souls Who Are Going To Be A Part Of Your Life. As For Which Particular People Would Be Chosen, I Figured They Would Be Individuals From Previous Lives With Whom There Was Still Unfinished Business.

Although I Was Raised Jewish, My Upbringing Didn't Include Any Formal Religious Education Or Training.

I Grew Up In A Dysfunctional Family.

My Mother, Whom I Love Dearly, Has Continually Revised My Life Story Within The Context Of A Complicated Family History That Includes More Than The Usual Share Of Divorce, Step-children, Dysfunction, And Obfuscation. I've Spent Most Of My Adult Life Attempting To Deconstruct That History And Separate Fact From Fiction.