To be fair to your sister, I would also think that we don’t really communicate that much… even with our own families. How much do they really know about our lives? Personally, I’m glad for this seperation… because I wouldn’t want to have to explain all my thoughts.

Hmm… You know, you never did mention one thing. Do you feel that you have a close personal relationship with God? Let me quote a paragraph that I think sums up your feelings (though I could be wrong!):

“Ironically, at a time when I felt that I was gaining a better understanding of God, man’s existence and the Catholic church, I was also finding myself being drawn away from the need to “clock in” at mass every Sunday and go through the same old rituals that had somehow become stale and redundant. Keep in mind that I mean no disrespect to the belief in transubstantiation or the Eucharist. But I couldn’t help thinking that the people who go through the motions every week, clocking in every Sunday to receive communion in hopes to earn their way to heaven, were somehow missing the point.”

See how you say “…being drawn away from the need to clock in…” Perhaps this is something that your sister detects. It may manefest as a hesitation to join with your family in some causes, activities, or thoughts / ideas. So, it may be something where she is not judging your lack of attendance at church, but sensing something…. (Maybe, I dunno.)

At the same time, what you say in this paragraph really makes a great point. I do believe that so many people are used to being a sheep that follows the crowd and goes through the motions in practically every aspect of their lives… and they do miss the point. In every way. And that is the saddest thing…

Okay, now back to my Velardo stalking…

Keep up the good work…

Thank you…