It is mysteriously and wonderfully difficult work to stay faithful to the life-long process of becoming who we are. It's not once and done, but an ongoing series of discernments. If we are fortunate, we may have a mentor or two along the way to help us. There will also be those people and events that may discourage us. A sense of humor is crucial to the process, so I sprinkled in a few events that may bring a smile to the lips of the reader.

This book is about the call everyone has--our vocation in the broadest sense--to be who we are. People can unintentionally distort or misunderstand our goals in striving to respond to longing to be who we are. It is my hope that these words will help to clarify the variety of ways in which people can live their lives, and also offer some guidance and tools to help facilitate that organic process. Much like a midwife, we can work to draw the new life out of one another.

There is something for people of all philosophies and faith stances in this book, although one may have to dig a little deeper at times to get beyond the Catholic Christian framework in which much of the material is embodied. All are meant to be included as we bring to consciousness our preconceived ideas, accurate or otherwise, and let our monastic archetype reveal itself. What I offer is simply my experience of this process.