Lavinia
From a young age, I've always had a deep need to understand the world and a strong drive to help people. Growing up in a deeply religious household in the west suburbs of Chicago, I felt that the best way I could help others was by becoming a nun.
On a trip to Ireland in my 20s, however, I changed course when I fell for a man. Now I'm helping people achieve their best orgasms.
I know many don't have the same experience with faith, but looking back, I cherish my childhood memories in the church. I participated in all the traditional Catholic rituals — first Communion and Confirmation — and I genuinely enjoyed my experiences.
I was also quite innocent compared with my peers, having never explored drugs or had any sexual experiences. In fact, I followed the church's teachings and remained abstinent well into my 20s.
At 20, I traveled to Ireland to study abroad. During this time, I did a discernment — a time of prayer and reflection to decide whether I wanted to join a convent and become a nun. I spent all my spare time in church. I devoted myself to prayer and acts of service. I tried to experience what my life would be like if I became a nun.
While I was seriously considering this life of devotion, I met a man whom I'll call Francois. We were randomly assigned to live together. There were four boys and four girls from six different countries all in one dorm.
Francois and I were so different. We wouldn't have been friends under normal circumstances, but because we lived together, we established a deep friendship. It then turned into an innocent romance.
He wasn't like any other man I had encountered. He made breakfast in bed for me every morning. It was my daily wake-up call. Every night, he would write me a love letter describing a new thing he liked about me. It was a romance I thought existed only in the movies. He was respectful of my boundaries and kept our relationship innocent.
From Ireland, I boarded a Ryanair flight with my Bible and rosary in hand — about to make the biggest decision of my life. When I arrived in Rome, I was so inspired to see so many devout people of faith.
My first stop was the Sistine Chapel. I prayed and asked God for a sign of which path I should take. I remember feeling like God asked: "What path do you want?" The reality was that I wanted to be a wife and mother but felt like I should be a nun.
After years of meditation, prayer, and study, I finally felt like God said that it was OK not to become a nun. I felt a tremendous sense of relief that I finally had my answer.
Francois drove from Belgium to Rome, and we drove throughout Italy together. Our relationship lasted only a few months before I moved back to the US, but it's perhaps one of the most important relationships I've ever had.
Inspired by my time with Francois, I shifted my studies from religion to sex. I became obsessed with understanding something that had been shrouded in secrecy for so long. I wanted to comprehend everything about pleasure, especially why it's such a complex matter for so many of us. Why do orgasms sometimes elude us? How can we overcome sexual trauma?
And then, another somewhat taboo subject came into my life: cannabis. I first tried cannabis when I injured myself after a marathon. What I experienced was nothing short of magical. It shattered the negative portrayals of cannabis from my childhood, which depicted it as an evil drug. For me, it was the opposite.
As I delved deeper into my newest "off-limits" interest, I stumbled upon some evidence linking THC to improved sex and repeated orgasms. It was all the confirmation I needed to embark on my journey.
I tried to find a THC lubricant compatible with condoms but couldn't. I transformed into a mad scientist on a mission for mind-blowing sex, experimenting with concoctions in my kitchen while continually refining and perfecting my formula.
When I shared with my friends the incredible sexual experiences I had with my new THC lube, they were begging me to try it themselves. Soon enough, friends of friends were knocking on my door.
Lavinia was born, and our first product was a silicone-based, condom-compatible, and THC-infused lube. My goal with the company is to help everyone achieve the best sexual experience and orgasms of their life.
My mission is a far cry from my childhood dream of becoming a nun, but my desire to help people remains.
Just like when I was a devoted child, my calling to help people has remained steadfast. Though I'm far from the convent these days, I believe I'm still fulfilling that purpose.
