This was the quote on my final vows program cover and it took me over 12 years to come to the realization - that I was to make final vows and to live religious life.

While in high school, I thought about the idea of entering religious life. When mentioning it to my mother, she thought that I was too young. So, I proceeded with my education and went to college. I did think about it on and off but that was the extent of it - just a thought. After college graduation, I was encouraged by my Dad to pursue graduate school while I was still young and in the academic mode. I enrolled full time and completed my Master's degree in social work, one year later. There I was with student loans to repay, and a desire to put into practice what I had just learned in school. My next step was job hunting. I worked for three years doing medical social work in a home health agency and then moved to a hospital setting, in the same capacity, for another three years.

One day while I was sitting in my office, about a year and a half after being at the hospital, it struck me - what am I doing? I had attained experience, I was paying my student loans, had a car, afforded vacations, and acquired personal possessions. But what did it all mean? Something was missing! Of course, I didn't do anything about it that day, but kept putting off any action. One day, as I was leaving my office to go to a patient's room, Sr. Janet Rossiter surprised me by saying, "You have a vocation." I denied it, and said "No way. Are you crazy? Not me!"

That got me thinking all the more. Finally, after several months, I called Sr. Ancilla, vocation director, and asked for an appointment to see her. She asked if I wanted to come down that day. My reply: "Oh my God, no! It took me 12 years to make that call; I could never rush into this." I did set up the appointment and began the process of looking at religious life, at the age of 29. Even during the period of formation I questioned many things and had a hard time admitting to myself it was right for me. It was not until my 30 day retreat that this quote struck me: "To believe is to liberate into the whole world the deepest reality of love's potential."

I have experienced "love's potential" in many ways and do believe that my choice to live the call to religious life is a gift from God and enables me to live my baptismal commitment - becoming the person I am called to be.