The 90s were my young adult, pre-BT days. Those years definitely set the stage for my journey to frumkeit. I was gainfully employed in the secular world, and I was exposed to all sorts of pritzus. I got married, we started a family, and it was during the 2000s that we made the gradual and sometimes painful transition to living a life according to Torah. The effort we expended and sacrifices we made over the years make the result all the more meaningful.
Fifteen years ago I would have laughed if you would have told me that I’d be living in a frum community with kids in yeshiva. Things have happened that only Hashem could have enabled. We don’t take our frumkeit for granted, having lived secular lives as children and young adults.
Sometimes it’s really hard to keep sight of what’s most important (to me, Torah and middos!), but we’ve been so fortunate to have had some amazing role models along the way, some of whom we’re still in contact with. I try to express my appreciation to them when I see them, but I wonder if they really understand what a profound effect they’ve had on our lives. It is a constant source of chizuk and gratitude for me just to have had such amazing people guide us over the years.