A niece posted photos on Facebook of a gathering of her sisters and sister-in-law. A group of normal looking women enjoying each other's company, having a good time. The thing is, they have all left the Mormon church. That means they're supposed to be unhappy, their lives are supposed to be a mess. The Gospel® had been the only thing keeping them out of the gutter, right? Well, like they say, living well is the best revenge.

which explains why the curious oft-repeated admonishment "endure to the end" is necessary

Facing life burdened with Mormonism is like running a race in shackles.

In the hot sun.
Without water.
And randomly moving goalposts.

On a treadmill

Ugh, treadmills.

I used to go to a big, well equipped gym. I was there one evening, surrounded by earnestly exercising folks, when it hit me: Look at us, running, climbing, pedaling and rowing like mad and getting nowhere. Or lifting heavy things just to put them down and lift them again. This crap is too much of a metaphor for the worst parts of my life. I quit the gym and got my exercise out in the real world.

I don't drink much. I don't smoke or do drugs (except a little pot for my neuropathy), but I'm an adulteress. Been with my boyfriend 16 years.

I get a huge kick out of the fact that this is my life rather than being a mormon. I ended up with the guy I wanted to marry at age 20, but he wasn't mormon.