I always wanted to be self-made. Raised in Caledonia, Ontario, I was identified in third grade as gifted, and from then on was keenly aware that I should â??act smart.â? I only participated in things I knew I would do well, and did my best to control all factors that could sabotage perfection. If I got a 93 on an essay, I demanded that the teacher tell me how I lost 7 points. For group projects, I asked my classmate to bring only the presentation boardâ??and brought a backup board just in case. By age 17, I saw myself as a teenager who had everything under control.
Heading to college in London, Ontario, I was eager to be a grown-up. And the ultimate marker of my new independence, I thought, would be joining the Baháâ??í faith. A local assembly met in Caledonia, and some of my closest friends were raised in Baháâ??í homes, so I was already familiar with the faith. I remember leaving Baháâ??í events buoyed by the leadersâ?? optimism about the future: no more war, poverty, or racism. One language, one currency, and equality of the sexes. It sounded perfect.
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