Dedication

When I reflect on why I wrote Glowing Up Gay and what I hope for its future, “dedication” comes to mind. In the traditional sense of the word, I felt like it was my duty to support others who may be struggling unnecessarily like I did for years. It’s a fairly straightforward goal: sharing my transformative story and showing that it’s never too late to change or evolve into the best version of you.

But wait, there’s more! 😃 I wrote a dedication for my book and mistakenly deleted it before publishing…

“For my father who never knew me and for my children who have yet to see the real me.” It captures the “healing the past / hoping for the future” journey that I’m still pursuing”

Closing One Door…

Forgiving my father for our complicated relationship and realizing that he was also broken as he provided for his family in the best (and only) way he knew. By showcasing some of his better qualities, I hope I’m honoring him appropriately. I think Dan Folgelberg said it best in his song Leader in the Band: “My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man / I’m just a living legacy to the leader of the band.”

Keeping One Door Open…

The future story of me and my children is unknown and may never come to be. It’s not uncommon for a divorced father to lose a connection with a child in their 20’s and unfortunately, I’m in the middle of that dry spell with BOTH of them. I want what every parent desires: their happiness, each with a supportive partner and network of friends. I want to be in their lives to celebrate their development and sadly, there’s a good chance that’ll never happen. My heart is optimistically open to a magical future where our paths cross, but I have to be okay if it doesn’t and dare I say, I am forgotten by them. Admittedly it’ll crush me if they see me as just a memory, if they believe that I made no significant contribution to their development.