When I was a youngster, one of my best friends was a shy (but wickedly funny) little blonde girl named Melissa. When I first met Melissa's family, around age 10, she was the youngest of four in a newly-blended family: her mom, her and her sister had moved in with her new step-dad, step-sister and step-brother.
After a few years a little bundle came along to join the family, and that little bundle was named Kevin. Melissa and I were 13 when Kevin was born, and he was our little doll. He was adorable and bright, and always cracked us up. When he was about two I remember him having trouble pronouncing "tr" - he substituted an "f" instead. We got him to say "truck" over and over...LOL.
When I was 18 I left the religion where both our families worshipped, and lost touch with Melissa, Kevin and the rest of her family. A few years ago, thanks to Facebook, I reconnected with Kevin - who informed me he, too, had left the religion of our birth, and was making a new, independent life...and he told me he was gay.
Understand that our former religion is in no way supportive of homosexuality, and so it was both a surprise and a source of inspiration to me to realize what Kevin had gone through as he realized his sexuality. He was fortunate, however, in that he had someone to love and support him: his boyfriend Andrew.
Today Kevin and Andrew got married - legally, of course, as we live in Canada. I am a little choked up thinking back to little Kevin, who is now a brave man who has refused to settle for anything less than brilliant happiness. So this blog post is dedicated with much love and support to Kevin and Andrew. May you share a lifetime of love. xoxo
3 comments:
It is stories like this that make me love my country…and so very glad I grew up with little contact to my religious family members.
My mother was always accepting of me, and when I came out to her at fifteen, I was accepted as if nothing had changed—and it hadn't. For all her mishaps raising me, she never discriminated against my orientation. (Of course, since then I've done more soul-searching and currently identify as something other than what I told her that sumer, but that's neither here nor there.)
When I hear from my friends in the US that mourn their lack of legal marital rights, I am so grateful that I live in a country where that is not the case.
My best wishes for Kevin and Andrew—may they have every joy possible!
It is reminders like this that make me want to smite the real sinners, those who rule the U.S. with "equality and justice for all". Lucky Kevin and Andrew who living beyond an imaginary line can live the life they deserve and imagine. Mal
Oh Katie, reading this made me tear up.I wish Kevin and Andrew all the best in their marriage. Lucky for them that they could get married and have it recognized.
Post a Comment