My friend Ari and I were having a conversation about surviving, living and dying.

Ari: After reading those facts about you that you listed and all that you have been through, I don’t know how you stay sane.

Aliza: Who says I am sane?

Ari: That’s a good point.

Aliza: I haven’t been committed so I am doing okay. But it’s hard. You can’t survive so much without scars.

Ari: Is that the measuring stick? If you haven’t been commited then you are okay? I guess that means I’m okay but I don’t feel okay and that’s the problem.

Aliza: Me either. Maybe we don’t even have to be okay. Maybe we just have to make it through the day and that’s okay.

Ari: You’re lucky cause you didn’t grow up with all the Jewish guilt. In that way I envy you. You came to the religion with a more mature and healthy approach cause you did it as an adult.

Aliza: Ari, you are so crazy, boy! You ain’t heard of Catholic guilt?

Ari: Don’t know so much about it.

Aliza: I use that AND Jewish guilt on myself all the time. Oh boy, the Catholics. All screwed up about sex and confession and getting into heaven.

Ari: I hear you. Well, I guess you’re not going since you converted. Anyways, I hear heaven is overrated.

Aliza: Yes, a friend confirmed it for me. She’s Christian. I’m definitely going to hell.

Ari: So I will probably see you there then. I hope we get good seats. But I hear it’s separate seating so that might be a problem.