"Not every heart can withstand the piercing of love's arrows..."
"Fear Eats the Soul"
Saturday, November 30, 2013
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1532"
"Its Just Love And It Looks Like This..."
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
"The Truth About Love..."
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- Neil Gaiman
"A Thought To Ponder..."
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- Albert Einstein
Friday, November 29, 2013
"The Truth About Love..."
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- Washington Irving
"The Truth Can Finally Be Told..."
"Seen on the streets of NYC yesterday... proof that Thanksgiving is a little bit gay!"
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1531"
"Home Life And Love..."
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
"We Were Always There..."
"People often referred to us as 'affectionate friends,
but the truth of love was obvious to everyone..."
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1530"
"The Holidays Are A Celebration Of Love..."
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
"And The Truth Shall Set You Free..."
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National Coming Out Day is long past, but America’s unofficial coming out day—Thanksgiving—is just around the corner. Strong anecdotal evidence and imprecise surveys suggest that the Thanksgiving dinner table is, tactically, the ideal place to drop the news. With its focus on gratitude, love, and eating your emotions, the holiday is existentially geared toward candor and acceptance. But that doesn’t make coming out a breeze; navigating its eternally choppy straits still requires tact and diplomacy. To facilitate smoother sailing, then, Outward has compiled a list of the top strategies for coming out on Thanksgiving.
1. I’m Gay—Pass the Gravy
Coming out is tedious. Would anyone disagree? By the time you’re ready to announce the big news, you’ve already teased out, tussled with, and trampled over the demons that kept you barricaded in the closet. Even if the moment itself is infused with drama and catharsis, its function in the broader narrative is one of anticlimax.
So why not short-circuit the whole process? Instead of waiting for the perfect moment (which will never arrive) or manufacturing a segue (which will be painfully awkward), simply roll the bomb onto the table and let someone else detonate it. Slip in the news—“I’ve been meaning to tell you: I’m gay. Also, this Tofurky is delicious!”—and shift the burden onto your family. It’s the emotional equivalent of looking at the ceiling while you get a flu shot: You’ll barely feel the pinch, and by the time it’s over, the deed is irrevocably done.
Of course, if your family is horrible, this tactic may backfire, and your relatives might be irked that you didn’t lay down any cushion for a soft landing. But that’s not really your job, and besides, if they’re truly terrible, they’d get upset no mater how you came out. Accordingly, this strategy earns my endorsement as the most efficient and user-friendly of the bunch.
2. Divide and Conquer
Unless your siblings are awful humans, they probably won’t care if you’re gay. As a general rule, young people like the gays. And unless you were extremely sneaky watching late-night Will & Grace reruns, they probably already suspected it.
Use this fact to your advantage. Corner a sibling on Thanksgiving morning and explain the situation. Give them 10 minutes to work through it and another 10 minutes to forgive you for increasing the pressure on them to produce grandchildren. Then take on the rest of the family together. A little backup goes a long way when coming out, and a supportive sibling can give hysterical parents a reality check. As a bonus, this strategy shifts a bit of the burden onto somebody else—your sibling—and, if you have several siblings, it helps to disperse your parents’ anger. (If you have a lot of siblings, your coming out might also trigger a chain reaction.)
3. Bring a “Special Friend”
Once a favorite weapon in the gay person’s arsenal, this tactic has fallen out of use in recent years—a trend I heartily endorse. It’s essentially a bait-and-switch: Bring a “friend” home for Thanksgiving, then reveal that your “friend” is actually a lover. If your parents are homophobic, they’ll be trapped between the desire to kick your “friend” out and the urge to be good hosts. Most of the time, the latter sentiment will win out. If it doesn’t, at least you have built-in emotional support.
Still, the whole operation has an uncomfortable air of deviousness about it. When coming out, there’s really no need to pull a fast one on your parents: The process is supposed to be an honest conversation, not a wily ruse. And the machinations seem a little unfair to your “friend,” who may bear the brunt of your parents’ displeasure. Even if all goes swimmingly, the backdrop of bad faith chicanery might make Thanksgiving dinner quite uncomfortable. So use this strategy as a last resort. And if you can’t work up the nerve to pull it off this time around, remember: It works just as well at Christmas.
Mark Joseph Stern is a Slate contributor. He writes about science, the law, and LGBTQ issues.
"Remembering The Reasons Why..."
A Haudenosaunee Native American "Thanksgiving" Prayer
GREETINGS TO THE NATURAL WORLD!
The People
Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue.
We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with
each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together
as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.
Now our minds are one.
The Earth Mother
We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us
all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about
upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as
she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings
and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Waters
We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our
thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know
its power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams,
rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks
to the spirit of water.
Now our minds are one.
The Fish
We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were
instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves
to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water.
So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Plants
Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the
eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain
many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks
and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to
come.
Now our minds are one.
The Food Plants
With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants
we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains,
vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive.
Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather
all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and
thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Medicine Herbs
Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the
beginning, they were instructed to take away sickness. They are
always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still
among us those special few who remember how to use these plants
for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the
Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.
Now our minds are one.
The Animals
We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to
all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach
us as people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests.
We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always
be so.
Now our minds are one.
The Trees
We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families
of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide
us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other
useful things. Many peoples of the world use a Tree as a symbol
of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree
life.
Now our minds are one.
The Birds
We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who
move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful
songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The
Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds - from the
smallest to the largest - we send our joyful greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Four Winds
We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds.
We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and
purify the air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons.
From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving
us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to
the Four Winds.
Now our minds are one.
The Thunderers
Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings,
live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them
the water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one
to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.
Now our minds are one.
The Sun
We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun.
Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing
the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life.
With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the
Sun.
Now our minds are one.
Grandmother Moon
We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest grandmother,
the Moon, who lights the night-time sky. She is the leader of
women all over the world, and she governs the movement of the
ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the
Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With
one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the
Moon.
Now our minds are one.
The Stars
We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like
jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the
darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When
we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered
together as one, we send greetings and thanks to all the Stars.
Now our minds are one.
The Enlightened Teachers
We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers
who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how
to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed
to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks
to these caring Teachers.
Now our minds are one.
The Creator
Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and
send greetings and thanks for the gifts of Creation. Everything
we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For
all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together
as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to
the Creator.
Now our minds are one.
Closing Words
We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all
the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything
out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual
to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.
Now our minds are one.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
"We Were Always There..."
"The photographer told us couples usually liked this backdrop,
we said, yes, we like it too..."
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1529"
"The Look Of Love Is As Plain As Black And White..."
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
"The Truth About Life..."
An Oregon man who was nearly decapitated in a traffic accident has an epiphany about what he really wants from life now that he realizes how close he was to the end...
"I lived through something I shouldn’t have ... divine intervention is the only thing I can say because my hand shouldn't be attached, neither should my head...I told God, if he's going to save me from death from this and he doesn't send me a boyfriend, I'm going to call it a party foul.”
I'm sure God will send him a boyfriend and now that he know just how precious life really is, he'll be brave enough to accept that love is enough.
"Fear Eats the Soul"
H/T: Towleroad
"The Poet's Corner..."
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"Sapho's Ode Out of Longinus"
THE Gods are not more blest than he,
Who fixing his glad Eyes on thee,
With thy bright Rays his Senses cheers,
And drinks with ever thirsty ears.
The charming Music of thy Tongue,
Does ever hear, and ever long;
That sees with more than humane Grace,
Sweet smiles adorn thy Angel Face.
But when with kinder beams you shine,
And so appear much more divine,
My feeble sense and dazzled sight,
No more support the glorious light,
And the fierce Torrent of Delight.
Oh! then I feel my Life decay,
My ravish'd Soul then flies away,
Then Faintness does my Limbs surprize,
And Darkness swims before my Eyes.
Then my Tongue fails, and from my Brow
The liquid drops in silence flow,
Then wand'ring Fires run through my Blood,
And Cold binds up the stupid Flood,
All pale, and breathless then I lye,
I sigh, I tremble, and I dye.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
"The Poet's Corner..."
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"As Ye Came from the Holy Land"
Sir Walter Raleigh
'Know that Love is a careless child,
And forgets promises past;
He is blind, he is deaf when he list,
And in faith never fast.
'His desire is a dureless content,
And a trustless joy;
He is won with a world of despair,
And is lost with a toy.
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"The Truth About Love..."
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- Rainer Maria Rilke
"We Were Always There..."
"This photograph marked our first year together...
more than 30 years in love would follow."
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1528"
"Every Season Belongs To Love..."
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
Monday, November 25, 2013
"This Is A Love Song..."
"Stone In Love With You"
The Stylistics - 1972
If I could I'd like to be
A great big movie star
Overnight sensation
Drive a big expensive car
I would buy you everything
Your little heart desires
These things I do
‘Cause I'm stone in love with you
(Stone in love with you)
If I were a business man
I'd sit behind a desk
I'd be so successful
I would scare Wall Street to death
I would hold a meeting for
The press to let them know
I did it all
‘Cause I'm stone in love with you
(Stone in love with you)
I'm just a man, an average man
Doing everything the best I can
But if I could, I'd give the world to you
I'd like to someday be the owner of
The first house on the moon
There would be no neighbors
And no population boom
You might say that all I do
Is dream my life away
I guess it's true
‘Cause I'm stone in love with you
I guess it's true
‘Cause I'm stone in love with you
I guess it's true
‘Cause I'm stone in love with you
"The Poet's Corner..."
Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper
Sometimes I know the way
You walk, up over the bay;
It is a wind from that far sea
That blows the scent of you to me.
Or in this garden when the breeze
Touches my trees
To stir their dreaming shadows on the grass
I see you pass.
In sheltered beds, the heart of every rose
Serenely sleeps to-night. As shut as those
Your guarded heart; as safe as they from the beat, beat
Of hooves that tread dropped roses in the street.
Turn never again
On these eyes blind with a wild rain
Your eyes; they were stars to me.--
There are things stars may not see.
But call, call, and though Christ stands
Still with scarred hands
Over my mouth, I must answer. So
I will come--He shall let me go!
* gender pronouns and similes were modified from the original text
"The Truth About Love..."
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- H. Jackson Brown Jr.
"Same Gender Loving People - No. 1527"
"Life Gives Us One Reason For Being... And That Is Love"
Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
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