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Here's who I am: a sister, an aunt, a daughter, a niece, a teacher, a Jew-By-Choice, a friend, a divorcee, a lover, an artist, a writer. Some of these identities are grounded and developed, some of them are under thoughtful construction.

It's been interesting to see how people react to my choice to be Jewish. I've come to this conclusion: The people who truly care about you will accept you "as is." They don't question your love for them because you've chosen a path different from their own. They never hint you should 'change back' to who you were. They don't overlay their own prejudices, judgements and insecurities onto their interactions with you. They don't see 'different' as a rejection or criticism of themselves.

Instead, people who care about you celebrate your choices. They applaud your experiments and sympathize with your failures. They contribute to your learning and success. They understand that growing in new directions is simply normal and healthy. They let you be unapologetically you.

They know the secret of life: Change is inevitable. Love is the only continuity.