Teachers from India

 
A lot of my teachers in elementary school were nuns from India; Calcutta I believe. They were the same order as Mother Theresa. I found it off that they were in the USA teaching privileged, 99% white, suburban kids. They told me they did it for their families. They converted because it provided opportunity and food. I didn't understand this at age nine.

Their hair was long, thick, blue-black, and covered by a habit. They took a vow to never cut it or show it to anyone. It was God's hair.

All of the students were fascinated by this. We'd flip and tug on their habits trying to expose their hair. I'd visit them at the convent hoping to catch them without it on. Someone even trued to sneak into their bathroom figuring he'd see it for sure. (They found him before he even got to their bathroom.)

I understand their choice to leave India (and their families) and the vow they took better now. I did something similar when I moved to San Francisco. I left behind all that was me. I cut familial ties. In doing so, I found my self. Once found, accepting vows, be it my marriage or the bonds of friendship, are empowering. You are committing to being your self.

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