176/365 Another reason why I stay

We sat there on the steps of the sanctuary after cleaning or polishing or something we were doing inside the church.

Sr. Hildegard turned to me with a sigh. She was trying to convince me to become more active in RCIA, which is something I have a block about although recently I've been trying to work through that. Back then I was very hesitant. At some point in the conversation, though, she said something that struck me, and has stayed in my head since, which I paraphrase here because I can't remember the exact quote:

Joining a religion is not about a new list of rules to follow. It's about falling in love with God.

And this cacophony of other voices in the back of my head, whether the Jesuits or lousy public school religion class teachers or that woman who led our Engaged Encounter and totally overshared about her miserable marriage....were silent.