This is a photo of me when I was but sixteen years of age. This was taken not long after I had first moved to Oklahoma from Houston, Texas. I went through about six months of culture shock before I finally adapted.

This is the year I finally realized that I was an atheist. I spoke of it to my friends, most of whom were Wiccans (and I have to say they never turned a hair about it). Later on that year I also told my mother. She did slightly more than turn a hair. But, after much talking (lasting well past age 16), my mother and I have come to a good place in our relationship. We each respect each other's beliefs, and respect each other's right to hold that belief. She even asks me all kinds of questions, trying to better understand where I'm coming from.