Interview with Claudia Underwood by Jacqueline Bonsee

Narrative Summary

Claudia Underwood was born in Iowa the1950s. She was raised mostly by her maternal grandmother, someone she looked up to and loved greatly. During her early adolescence, Claudia became familiar with the Assembly of God church, a place she never felt comfortable in.

With her right pointer finger out in an accusatory manor, she mimics the judgmental view the church had toward its followers and the hypocritical way they lived their private lives. She releases a boisterous laugh at the memory of the absurdity she witnessed there. “I saw those who were doing the condemning do the same as the ones they condemned,” she said in a tone of disbelief.

Once she became old enough to make the decision regarding her attendance in church, she willingly passed, attending only the occasional special event with which she accompanied her grandmother. At the young age of seventeen, she married a man from the Methodist church. Her involvement with the church increased; as she describes it, “I was there if the doors were open,” she says with a smile, much like her grandmother was with her church. Her marriage was short lived, but she walked away two baby girls richer.

She admits that the threeyear divorce was trying in many ways. Her eyes glance at her lit cigarette as she recalls the battle she fought alone against a wealthy family and the church. The same church that she was once so devoted to took the side of her estranged husband in an attempt to keep from losing one of its most affluent parishioners. This was a blow that she did not take well. Her feeling of abandonment didn’t just stem from the church itself but from God as well. During those three wearisome years, her beliefs changed and her faith became dormant.

“I met this lady and she worked at 7-Eleven. I would stop there sometimes on my way home in the evening, and if she wasn’t busy we’d chit-chat.And I was going through such a horrible time in my life, you know?It was a really dark, dark time in my life, and she somehow—I don’t know if I was visibly upset or—I don’t know what it was—but she started asking me questions and brought up God. And she invited me to Unity.” This proved to be an enormous turning point in Claudia’s life, and the two became great friends.

The church spoke about love and being kind to others, not the fire and brimstone messages she was accustomed to. Claudia believes she found this church on her own, and she could relate to it. Her words are thoughtful and her silences are moments of understanding and reflection.She really listens to the people she speaks with; they are not just time between her voiced opinions. A vast world traveler, a person of great strength, and an accomplished entrepreneur, she lives her life with the sole purpose of helping others.

Claudia is a woman with an open mind and an open heart. Meditating daily is one of the sources for her many beliefs and acts. She views meditation as a way of connecting with one’s self, the world, and the higher power. She says she is of no definitive religion; her ideas and practices range from Christianity to Buddhism and Hinduism. To her, it’s not the religion that matters, but rather the people. She blesses the terrorist and Hitler, regardless of their wrongdoings. She cannot explain the reasons for their actions, but she remains dead set on the idea that everything happens for a reason, and the only things we can control are ourselves.

A calm reached me while we spoke;her voice sincere and respectful. Through her story I discovered our lives were quite similar, and I felt a great understanding and connection with her. Whether it was because she had been so candid with me or for some greater cosmological reason, I’m not sure. As I began to leave, she mentioned just that, the same feeling of connection. With a smile and a hug, as though we were lifelong friends, she said maybe we were friends in a past life or, better yet, kindred spirits. I replied with a smile and a nod; I went home with her life’s story in hand, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was right.

Missouri State UniversityFall 2008Religious Lives of Ozarks Women