Jane

Jane

MY TRUE IDENTITY?

When my brother and I were in college at Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon, we were referred to as “PK’s.” PK is the common abbreviation for “Preacher’s Kid.” That was my identity for four years.

My story is about perceived “IDENTITIES” and how mine has changed over the years.

Growing up in New England as the daughter of a protestant minister our family was a central part of the spiritual and social community. Mom was the organist and we were the well-behaved, role model children. Church life, family, and friends were our focus-I was proud of that.

We moved to San Diego, California, and later to Los Angeles, California. My IDENTITY changed from being a positive role model to being a total geek with an overbearing father who set unrealistic and ridiculous rules. He was a Chaplain in the Navy, away a lot, working long hours and physically ill. It was not a happy time. I was actively involved in a large church and youth group but I did not consider it a spiritual relationship as much as social.

I went off to college in Oregon. I had fun. I did not study enough, I did not get good grades, and I did not make my parents proud. I entered a marriage that they opposed and struggled with the IDENTITIES of student, wife, and parent. My husband and I graduated from College and we moved to Duke University, North Carolina. During this time and the next 8 years, religion and spiritualism were absent from my life.

In 1973, my husband and I moved to Frederick Street, Walkersville, Maryland, and I found Glade United Church of Christ (Glade). The church community embraced me and my family and I was inspired. I grew, I flourished, and I was “found.” My IDENTITY started to change again. It was a positive change. I was an active member for awhile, and then moved to Braddock Heights, Maryland. I became absent again, but only physically, not spiritually. I tried other churches, but never felt as welcomed and “at-home” as I did at Glade. I returned to Glade almost 15 years later. The people of Glade embraced me again only tighter.

Eventually, I entered a healthy marriage, my parents moved to Walkersville, Maryland, and I was again embraced by Glade’s church family. When my Dad died in 1997, Shirley Zimmerman hugged me and said, “Now don’t make yourself scarce.” My IDENTITY became an empowered spiritual disciple.

I have more blessings than I can count and I try to offer those same blessings to all those who I encounter and can influence. I will always remember Shirley’s “off-the-cuff” remark and how much it mattered to me. And how much all of the members of our church community can matter to those who are less fortunate spiritually and who are struggling with their IDENTITIES.