coping
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Alexander Leon once said, “Queer people don’t grow up as ourselves; we grow up playing a version of ourselves that sacrifices authenticity to minimize humiliation and prejudice.” Those words have always resonated with me, capturing the challenges I faced growing up queer. Early on, I learned to conceal parts of my true self—my interests, my…
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My father was a loving and accepting man. I watched him grow and evolve over the years—his beliefs shifting as he learned, as he listened, as life opened his eyes in new ways. He never clung to an idea simply because it was familiar. Instead, he allowed himself to question, to reconsider, to change. When…
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If you’ve ever found yourself drawn into the orbit of a narcissist, you know the dizzying contradiction they embody: one minute, they’re warm, attentive, and seemingly all in; the next, they’re cold, cruel, and impossibly detached. It’s as if you’re dealing with two distinct people—a light and a dark—when in reality, it’s the same person,…
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Losing your eyesight as you age is terrifying. I don’t talk about it much, but every year, my vision gets worse. And with that comes a quiet panic—one that sneaks up on me in unexpected moments. Like when I struggle to read something I know I could see just fine a few months ago, or…
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I saw this quote by Charles Bukowski, and it hit me like a brick to the skull: “I see men assassinated around me every day. I walk through rooms of the dead, streets of the dead, cities of the dead; men without eyes, men without voices; men with manufactured feelings and standard reactions; men with…
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I was thinking the other day about something my grandfather used to say: “God didn’t put you on this earth to serve yourself. He put you here to help others.” That was one of his core beliefs, and he made sure we understood it. The older I get, the more I see just how right…
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Sunday. For many, it’s a day of church services, sermons, and hymns. For me, it’s a time of reflection. But not in a pew. Not in a building. And definitely not under the authority of an institution that has caused so much harm. Here’s the truth: I am deeply spiritual. My connection to the divine…
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I was about four years old when one of my earliest memories unfolded—a simple, magical day in St. Louis. It was sunny, and my mom and I set out for a walk, just the two of us, in search of ice cream. Every step felt like an adventure. I remember the rhythm of our footsteps…