Catherine Astl

Three Gates: Lessons in Humility, Virtue, and Honor Catherine Astl

Paulina Astoria, a thirty-something wife from Florida, embarks on an academic adventure that takes her to the University of Cambridge in England. Leaving behind her husband, Joe, and their so-far futile attempts to have a child, her goal is to be nice to herself for a change. She will spend the summer immersing herself in a study of Shakespeare-and the people she meets in England. She takes along her diary along with her hopes and dreams for an eye-opening, cross-cultural experience in a land that is both new and foreign, despite the lack of a language barrier. The lessons she learns, however, go far deeper than merely Shakespeare and his plays-and Paulina's eyes are opened in ways she never expected. Seeking to fit in with the younger students, Paulina begins to see her life in a new light. She has focused solely on her husband for many years, neglecting her own growth. Her closest relationship-with Joe, as his wife-has left her feeling alone and lonely. And Joe seems to be distancing himself even further from her, in her absence. Does he even miss her? Do they still have a future together? While exploring her new environs, Paulina finds that the University of Cambridge has three gates: Honor, Virtue, and Humility. She begins to realize that each gate has its own unique, life-changing, and challenging lessons to teach her. She embarks on a journey that will open her heart to new ways of thinking about her future... ...and the ways in which she views her very own soul.