A Brief Message To My Family Who May Or May Not Judge Me For Converting To A Different Religion Than Them

My life is not a sterile thing to be

poked and prodded in a petri dish.

It is not a concept to be theorized about with inscrutable language

by learned scholars.

There is no need for justification,

no need for a public service announcement to explain why.

I am sorry—

to myself and to others—

that I thought there was.

This is how it is;

this is what I have chosen,

and here we are.

I release my desire to be understood,

because I don’t understand you either,

yet, I still love you.

That is enough.