Finding your own Courage

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it
takes to sit down and listen" ~Sir Winston Churchill ~


I am writing this for a dear friend, who I hope will sit down and listen........

There are so many forms of courage....Courage to be who you are, Courage to accept others and how they choose to live their lives and Courage not to judge....

I learned that an old friend of mine came out of the closet. I was elated, because for so long we all knew that this day would happen, but because of fear and lack of Courage he "PRAYED THE GAY AWAY"....Why would someone do this? FEAR and Fear alone...afraid of what others might think of him and the fear that he would not be accepted by those he loves and holds close to his heart. I think that acceptance in yourself is the first step at breaking the cycle of fear. You are who you are...Embrace your uniqueness.....
We are all different, how boring would it be if we were all made out of the same cookie cutter mold.....You are who you are, you were born this way, yes we all have a choice on what kind of person we become and the everyday choices we do have free will to make. Do I believe that you are born Gay? Absolutely.....I don't think it's the choice of a young person to choose to be ridiculed and called names, and expose themselves to the cruelty of those around them that do not accept them for who they are...
I once heard an interview say the most incredible thing and to this day will forever be burned into my brain......An interviewer had asked the question, "IS BEING GAY A CHOICE"? And so many answered yes...it is a lifestyle choice. I was completely insulted by their answers, because I have had many gay friends and not one had ever said to me....I choose to be gay, I choose, to be ridiculed, teased, harassed, BULLIED....
The next set of questions that was asked by the interviewer to the same people was....
"WHEN DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE A HETEROSEXUAL"...WOW, what a question....my mouth dropped open and my mind went blank...they stopped....they thought...they listened....they looked perplexed and they said..."I DID NOT CHOOSE TO BE HETEROSEXUAL, I WAS BORN THIS WAY"... Indeed they were, born this way.....

So the next time you want to judge a person for their sexual orientation, stop and think...WERE YOU BORN THIS WAY? Be Courageous to be who you are, because you are the only you there is!

As Always Be Sweet,
Dori Lowry