One thing I'm learning regularly nowadays.
Never ever stop letting people love you. Tell them you are gay, be fearless in it, and allow them to love you as they always have and with a newfound pride.
Because they will.
Let them be your ally.
Because they will be.
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I am very fortunate to have the friends that I have. They are all remarkable people.
Today I told a youngin' (18 year old) that I am gay. "And thats how that goes."
He wasn't surprised - said he'd thought it for a while. It didn't matter to him, didn't change our relationship.
As long as I didn't try to grope him (he's a football player, groping him would likely result in a concussion).
I mentioned my two rules: Straight men are "no". 18 year olds are "no". (He's not married yet, so he doesn't need to know about the last one)
I'm his mentor. From Bible Camp.
.... there is nothing like being gay to make you realize how much pride you have... and how regularly you undersell the ability of people to love...
Your point is well made, Neal. We have a responsibility to keep our hearts open to the love from other people, even as we are challenged to love ourselves; even as we expect people to withdraw their love for us after we tell them who we are.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I found consistently as I came out. I expected people to reject me. They didn't. They surprised me every time and taught me not to have preconceived notions of how they'd respond to me. I needed to remain open to them, as I hoped they'd remain open to me.