You came to me with tears in your eyes and a lump in your throat,

finally ready to tell a secret you'd been keeping since you learned it.

With fear in your voice you explained your heart,

because you could not not explain it for another minute.

I didn't understand why you were so afraid,

so tentative.

Didn't you know how much I love you?

Didn't you know I want nothing more than your happiness?

Didn't you know I want you to be free and to be yourself?

Didn't you know nothing could ever change that?

Didn't you know that I know you better than anyone else in this world?

Didn't you know that I already knew everything, even before you did?

Didn't you know it could never make any difference to me?

Well, now you know.

Come, step out my friend,

And feel the sunlight,

The warmth you cherish,

Will help you through a cold night,

Go ahead, take the risk,

Or place on yourself a bet,

It is better than living,

The end of life in regret.

You're beautiful,

You're loved,

You're truly amazing.

But that doesn't matter does it?

What I say,

It doesn't matter does it?

Until you believe it,

you won't see it.

So this I'll say instead,

Look.

Look at them.

See those parts of yourself you're so deathly afraid to see.

Shine some light on them.

Embrace them.

Now, take a deep breath.

Okay, exhale, the hardest part is over.

Look up ahead.

It's okay to smile,

because you can see it now can't you?

Look at all of the good there is within yourself.

It's there if you choose to see it.

Stay there.

Stay for as long as you need to mend as many of the broken pieces of yourself as you can.

Allow yourself to relax there for as long as you want.

Don't worry. I'll be here.

I'll wait for as long as you need.

Okay?

Now that you've embraced yourself, look in the mirror.

Take a good long look and smile.

Hey, don't be stubborn.

I know that this isn't easy.

Don't overthink it though, just do it.

Smile at yourself until it's genuine.

Even laugh if you feel so provoked.

That's right, let yourself feel joy.

Hold onto to that joy and go!

Share it!

Share it with only the people who would appreciate it as much as you do.

Share it with only the people who would appreciate you as much as you do.

Surround yourself with those people.

If you should crumble again, and you will because life requires change,

just do this all again,

in your own way

in your own time.

Do not allow others to dictate who you are. There is nothing wrong with you.

You are not sick with a disease that needs to be cured.

God will not strike you down in the streets.

You are you, and that is beautiful, regardless of what some people may think.

Stand confident, stand proud, for you are uniquely you.

There are those who may spit in your face, kick you when you are down, and cut you with words. Take pity on them, for they know nothing of love nor peace, tranquility nor happiness.

And if you find yourself, locked away, alone in the dark - take a deep breath, open your eyes, and know there are millions of others in this world standing along side you silently supporting you, willing to be your voice if you just ask.

Bask in this knowledge, let it be your light in your darkest hour and use it as your strength to make this world a more fair and just place.

I've held your hand since you could grasp mine with your tiny fingers.

Looked into your eyes a thousand times,

and said,

"I love you."

I watched you struggle and fall and pick yourself up, and told you I was proud.

And slowly you began to pull away.

You were afraid and I was afraid of your fear.

What could it mean, these things you couldn't say.

I knew that thoughts were weighing heavy on your heart, each sigh you didn't know I caught as I turned out the lights.

Days passed, weeks turned into months.

You were so sad and I was never sure enough to ask you to tell me why your smile never reached your eyes and lit them up as they did before.

Then there came a day where I knew you needed me to be stronger and I told you what my heart was aware of before my mind understood.

You cried and you asked me if I wished you weren't so complicated. If I wished my daughter could just be like other girls....like normal girls.

But I don't want that. I want you to be yourself. What is normal anyway?

I told you normal was boring, I wouldn't wish you any different than you were at that very moment. I told you "I love you" like I did so many times before. 

But it meant more to us both that day. 

We cried together as the weight of your secret lifted from your shoulders.

And you smiled with a sparkle in your eyes that lit up the world.

hello!! here is what i am and who i am and what i will always be!!

please sell me a shirt that i can put it on!

let us go to PRIDE and march alongside WAL-MART with our TD BANK flags!

let us go to bars and clubs and be young and sexy as we are supposed to be!

never mind that

a body can do so much more than what the str8s see on tv

a body can be used by its user in so many ways and

can be so many things and

sometimes words aren't enough and

sometimes saying HELLO! this is what i am and always will be!!

is more comfortable for those on the outside trying to make sense

of the beautiful strange confused and wise body

just trying to move and make 

its world

If you are suffering, struggling with

weather or not to show your pride

Just know that the only person in the room

Who's feelings matter at all darling,

At yours.

You may be shocking some,

But most will already know

Which way your blood flows.

They won't be surprised,

Just wonder why

It took you so long to say so!

Those who truly love you

Will always stay with you

And those who don't won't.

So don't be surprised when some

Leave your side, they weren't really there anyway.

D.B.

Mother of 2 wonderful Gay sons.

You'll know when you're ready. The weight will be too heavy to carry on your heart.

It's your decision. People will scorn you. Even people that you thought wouldn't. But you've got this. You'll discover just how strong you really are.

It doesn't always end with the confession. You have an uphill battle. Sometimes parents won't get it. Sometimes friends will turn their backs. But you have it inside of you and you'll know when the times right.

Believe in yourself. Don't listen to critics or the spiritual dogma.

"Lift a rock and I am there" I clung to the Gospel Of Thomas as though it was my breath. Find something to hold onto and know your self-worth.

I love you. 

You don't know me. You probably never will. But I love you. 

You are unique, beautiful, original and special. The world deserves to know you and love you as I do - the real you. This life is short enough. It's not meant to be spent dark and lonely inside, hiding who you are. More than that, you deserve to be happy. You deserve even more love. You deserve to find who and what makes you happy - no matter what that is.

You are light, you are beauty. You are love. 

And I love you. 

So share that love. Share that beauty. Share the uniqueness and light that is you. It won't be easy. 

But nothing is. 

Not for me. Not for you. Not for anyone. 

So when things get hard, or things get dark, just remember this: there is someone out there, someone you don't even know, who is rooting for you. There is someone out there that respects you, is proud of you and wants all the best for you. I love you. Let the rest of the world love you too.