In that moment, I knew a day would come when I would have to defend and fight for my right to say I am a mother in conversation.

Breathing deeply, letting my tension abide. I step forward, slowly at first. Anticipation, excitement, all bubbling up inside.

For arguments sake, let's take religion out all together in this situation and just look at it from a human perspective - The whole thing was disgusting travesty. It doesn’t matter if it was blatant and intentional regarding the Last Supper, mixed in, or if it was “unintentional.” The whole thing was a disgusting display of what passes for a "norm" in society.

Her death saved my life, but despite what any many think, I have forgiven her & love her. Growing up was difficult, to say the least, and very confusing at times because she was a Christian. I grew up reading the Bible, praying, knowing there was a God, and understanding many concepts in the Bible.

Nagging in the back of my head was this feeling that I answered wrong, that I needed to rethink my response, and why I responded that way. And you betcha I rethought my response, and it was an intense moment of realization, faith, and repentance.

I have learned many things and unlearned many things. Been corrected both gently and not so gently by God, and that’s fine by me.

Why can’t it be both? Maybe I’m wrong, but here are my thoughts. First, we are not puppets, we have free will to choose what we want.