Thrive Newsletter - Issue #30 - The Love Is (Still) In The Air Edition

I believe Cupid is a villain baby wrapped in a toga who shouldn't have access to love arrows. But, I am glad he hit the mark by bringing Dan into my life. Plus a friend came out this week!

Hello Friends,

It’s a few days after Valentine’s 2023, and yet again, I did not declare it Cupid hunting season for the seventh year in a row!

This has been a good week for love. With Dan, I know what unconditional love looks and acts like. Also, this week. I learned a longtime friend of mine came out to himself and his loved ones to embrace his true relational and sexual orientation.

The first step in loving others is to love yourself, and I am happy my friend has made that decision.

With regard to my friend who came out, I mentioned on Instagram that I would not divulge this friend’s identity… to anyone. I take that stand because it is not my place to determine another person’s “next right step.” Only he knows if he needs to be more open and public with where he is today.

I don't particularly appreciate it when I see people demanding others to come out or do certain things as a part of coming out. Almost every LGBTQ+ person has had difficulty understanding who they are and how that impacts their relationships. There is immense pressure to come out or stay in the closet. I certainly do not want to add to that pressure.

For most, coming out is the first authentic step to finding our true selves. It’s a false expectation to rainbow blast your way out of the closet and think you are a happy whole queer person for taking that first step. Today, my true gay self is very different than what I thought it would be when I came out eight years ago.

So while my friend has come out to himself and his loved ones, in many ways, his journey as a gay man is just beginning. It would be arrogant for anyone to tell him his next step.

And I will be here if and when he needs a friendly sounding board.

Are you looking for the next right step in your journey? Well, for that matter, aren’t we all…always? LOL. If you need a friendly listening ear with no judgment, reply to this email, which will come directly to me and be confidential. Or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

So, Valentine’s week was not great for the weight loss program, but I still managed to drop a half pound since the last weigh-in. Cupid’s My penchant for chocolate and Dan’s delicious version of Chicken Bryan got me! But I still tracked it all and netted a loss for the week.

Fabulous! :) Next week my goal is to up the ante on physical exercise. We will see :).

And that’s it for this week’s Thrive newsletter. All feedback, questions, and concerns are welcome.

Thanks for reading :)

I think it is clear. Mark Driscoll’s spiritual “gift” is a**holery:

Healthy Leadership Principles vs Toxic Masculinity

Thank you for reading!