Meltdown and Recovery

I was a loser in CTL, the cultic group I was in for 18 years. I was one of the ones who'd never make it. I watched newbies enter the group and climb the leadership ladder while I stayed ever hopeful at the bottom. I was groomed to celebrate their ascent. Loyalty to my teacher, to the “depth, integrity and beauty” of what we were all striving for, was stitched securely into my psyche, making me a devoted student. 😇