 
| |
Subject: |
Life Is Too Precious Not To Live |
| Date: |
2009-09-25
|
|
Life Is Too Precious Not To Live
Dear Dr. Laura,
A few weeks ago you took a call from a young gay man who was discouraged by the reaction from his parents that he was gay and that he was wanting to start dating men and begin his adult life. This call hit me like a ton of bricks.
As a 27 year old Gay Christian man, I could empathize with the caller's frustration and impending suicidal thoughts. I, too, remember speaking to close friends and family and not getting the reaction I "wanted" from the beginning. But one day, something hit me (a blast of Dr. Laura real life wisdom that I'm sure came from listening to every one of your shows since January of this year): I had been struggling with accepting the REALITY of being gay for at least 10 years and yet, I expected my friends and family to accept this newfound truth about me over night. How so very unrealistic! Rather than allowing them time (like I had) to process and accept this fact of life, I wanted instantaneous acceptance.
If I've learned anything from listening to you, I've learned this: life is too precious not to live. Sometimes, living takes time. So now, I don't stress about how soon a friend or family member will 'come around' to accept me as being gay. I just think, 'they will go at their own pace.' I cannot control their behavior. However!!! The one thing I do have control over is this: I can either wallow in the pain my sexual identity may cause me when it comes to others, waiting and wondering when the whole world of people I know will accept me OR I can do what you would want me to do: live life fully! To recognize that I'm not simply a gay man, but a man, a person, a human being, with the capacity to love people, help people, serve people, and forgive people. Me sitting around sulking because my parents don't accept me just as I am (just yet) will not make me into a better person thinking what I can do for others and how I can make life better and a little more special for them, will.
Thanks for continually reminding me Dr. Laura that people are more than just what they do when the lights go out at night. You've given me hope in living a life that I want to look back on someday and say: I did it...I lived!
I am proud to be my mother's son (but not a momma's boy) and am thankful I was raised by a stay-at-home mom and wonderful father who always let us kids know they were each other's husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend. I hope to find a love like this someday.
Be blessed!
Love,
N.
Back
|
|
