tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1384980373537159783.post6675340041755563187..comments2012-09-13T11:12:27.309-04:00Comments on Freedom comes from Confinement: Finally a chance to post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1384980373537159783.post-53188454443538433052008-12-20T07:15:36.134-05:002008-12-20T07:15:36.134-05:00So much to comment on... I'll never remember a...So much to comment on... I'll never remember all the stuff in my head!<br><br> You're right. Not every person you come out to will react positively. BUT, you might be surprised at how the biggest homophobes you know react once you tell them. Finding out someone they love is gay really rocks there world on a deep level, and it takes time and a lot of introspection, but you'd be amazed at what happens to their heart in the process.<br><br> I'm not sure that you ever got a chance to read all my old posts from before we met, but there was one about my experience with a very close friend (oddly enough, also named Andy). Old posts are gone now, but he was a lot like you describe your cousin to me.<br><br> Long story short, my heart was weeping while we were standing in a mutual friends driveway and he told me about how, even though it still kind of bothered him, he forced himself to pay attention to the news when something about gay rights was on because it affected someone he loved.<br><br> That night is one of my most treasured memories. <br><br> On the same side of the coin, people everywhere can surprise you. <br><br> You mention the people at B's all being "secure". Looks can be deceiving, my friend. I know that more than one person was putting on a happy face that night. <br><br> That's not to say we weren't genuinely having a good time; I know I was. But I was also putting all the troubling things off to the side to enjoy the moment with people outside of those problems.<br><br> It's very much the same thing as what B mentions in her blog a lot about people at church who are miserable or somehow "less than" but put on their "perfect Christian smiley face" on Sunday morning.<br><br> It may be dishonest of us to walk around with faces painted on, I will concede that point. What I'm getting at though, is people DO paint on a better face than they'd normally be wearing, and that's why it is SO important not to hold yourself accountable to any standard except the one's "prescribed" by God. We ALL fall short. <br><br> I'm not saying you shouldn't learn from other people. But don't let the appearance they put forth fool you into thinking they're better at living life than you are and allow that to pull you down.<br><br> Good Lord, I think my first cup of coffee just kicked in... sorry for the diatribe!!!jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09161291046776693853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1384980373537159783.post-71021595902687363952008-12-29T16:54:59.542-05:002008-12-29T16:54:59.542-05:00I agree with everything Jake said :)You read what ...I agree with everything Jake said :)<br>You read what I write and know that I don't always feel happy and upbeat, yet whenever we're together with few exceptions I'm mostly happy and upbeat. It's not because I'm puting on a show, it's because sometimes you just have to suck it up or you're going to miss out on the fun.<br>Ouch, I just cracked my jammed finger...!ellenjanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05662940255380539267noreply@blogger.com