Thankful

There are many things in my life I am thankful for. In addition to the traditional things, I'm thankful that I'm gay. Being gay has opened my life to experiences I would never have had as a straight white male. I might have never seen the bigotry that seems inherent in organized religion. I might never have felt compassion and sympathy for minorities (racial, sexual, and any others) in the world. I might have grown up an ignorant, closed-minded, soulless individual. Thankfully, I didn't. I grew up gay, I survived to see adulthood, and I'm fortunate to have loving family and friends. And I am honored that others call me friend. To my friends, via blog and otherwise, I thank you for being yourselves and accepting me into your lives. May you have a warm, fun, and safe holiday weekend.