family

  • Life isn’t supposed to be a series of “gotcha” moments. You know the kind—those little traps people set in conversations, waiting for someone to slip up just so they can say, “Aha! I caught you.” In healthy relationships, that kind of behavior doesn’t belong. But in dysfunctional families, it can become the norm. I lived…

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  • I Hate Secrets

    I hate secrets. It’s true—I always have. All my life, I’ve struggled with secrets, especially keeping them. It’s just not how I live. Very early in adulthood, I realized how important it was not to live in secrecy. Some of you who know me might say, “But you were in a straight marriage.” That’s true—I…

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  • When I was little, my mom told me she was going to redecorate my room. I remember the thrill of choosing paint swatches—so deep a royal blue it felt like diving into the night sky. As the first coats went on, the room took on a hushed glow, and we pressed glow‑in‑the‑dark stars into the…

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  • As Good Friday arrives, I find myself grieving not just the crucifixion of Jesus, but the crucifixion of everything He stood for. In a world where religion is being twisted into a weapon, and hate is preached in the name of love, I wrote this letter to God. It is a cry for truth, for…

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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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  • Have you ever heard that we lose 21 grams at the moment of our death? Some say it’s the weight of the soul—a notion that feels both mysterious and deeply profound when it comes to remembering someone as irreplaceable as my dad. Lately, I’ve been immersed in memories of him—cherishing the warmth of his laughter,…

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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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  • The Orange Balloon

    I see a big orange balloon bouncing in the distance. It is bouncing up and down from the ground to the air. I am running to try and catch it. I hear someone giggling, and I look over and there is my sister running next to me. We are very young. I might be three…

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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…

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  • Dear Future Family, Today is March 1, 2025. When I was a boy, my grandmother would say March came in like a lion or a lamb. Her voice was warm, steady, the kind that made you believe whatever she said. I’d sit by her closely, listening to the wind howl outside, never imagining I’d one…

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