[She thinks... she understands the world that Rich is coming from, for it was similar to her world too. Such deviations would be strongly discouraged. Everything was purposeful and regimented. Sure, there was a certain degree of choice in what a person could do in their free time, but it was expected that you comply and obey. Choosing anything beyond that would be... problematic.]

I cannot say... I understand the difficulty you have with this. [She closes her eyes.] But I can tell it is very important to you.

It may not be a good comparison. [She didn't want to make light of what he just said or provide a false equivalency.] But I too found the path of my heart irrevocably altered. Or perhaps it would be better to say I discovered a part of myself that I did not know about myself. Something my people would not understand. Something you cannot share. Something that, once discovered, leads you to a place you did not know you needed to go.

In... the solitude the greatest joy is finding people who support you. Who let you be and discover more about that which you are drawn to.

Is that... familiar?