(no subject)
i have so much inside of me that i want to say, but i don't know where to begin or how to word it other than blunt, not very eloquent words.
i am so very grateful i date a man that i respect.
who respects me.
who willingly will stand up for me.
who i willingly stand up for too.
who has friends who work to be aware of the world
around them, who understand the importance of
issues like women's rights as human rights,
who understand that jokes about serious things
work well in satiric settings, but not
in an every day way that only degrades
and disrespects.
i am so very grateful i date a man
that is, in fact, a man,
who plunges himself passionately into what
he loves, like his music, his family, his friends,
who knows the worth of dollar,
but, more importantly, knows the worth of a human soul.
i am so very grateful that my best friend
has the most beautiful head on her graceful shoulders.
with a strong sense of self even when she
might not see it. who gives to the world
in ways she cannot comprehend.
who's humble nature, but exquisite talents
and honest soul gives her a glow
unlike any other human.
who is educated and aware and willingly
takes on more knowledge.
who knows when to laugh and when the laughter
has become inappropriate, when the
jokes have ceased to be funny,
when the exclusion, when the cruelty has
reached a maximum, when we must
turn our backs and say,
no, that isn't right.
and who is it hardest to say that to?
our friends.
how do you tell friends that you disagree?
how do you tell family that you disagree?
perhaps even more difficult than telling a
stranger you think, well, that they're wrong.
the things we've seen,
how they've shaped us,
i wouldn't trade any of it for anything.
she said last night that i'd never go back there,
and she's right. i never will.
it's my earnest goal that's already been reached,
that i will be well, and, i am.
i am okay. after years of vying for those words.
they're here. inside me, all around me.
i'm not backing down anymore.
because these people mean too much.
to be cherished, to be listened to,
to be admired and to be respected.
the cruelty of the bullshit is more than i can
take, the heads that whisper and judge,
the "secrets" and the longstanding jokes,
the exclusion and the misconceptions
can no longer be accepted, no longer ignored.
and i promise to myself, to my loved ones,
that if ever an instance of cruetly presents itself,
i will stand up, i will fight,
i will not back down.
because these people are the world,
the best of it,
these people deserve respect.
they deserve love.
they deserve understanding.
like you, like me, like all of us.
i just can't stand the cruelty anymore.
and i won't.
i am so very grateful i date a man that i respect.
who respects me.
who willingly will stand up for me.
who i willingly stand up for too.
who has friends who work to be aware of the world
around them, who understand the importance of
issues like women's rights as human rights,
who understand that jokes about serious things
work well in satiric settings, but not
in an every day way that only degrades
and disrespects.
i am so very grateful i date a man
that is, in fact, a man,
who plunges himself passionately into what
he loves, like his music, his family, his friends,
who knows the worth of dollar,
but, more importantly, knows the worth of a human soul.
i am so very grateful that my best friend
has the most beautiful head on her graceful shoulders.
with a strong sense of self even when she
might not see it. who gives to the world
in ways she cannot comprehend.
who's humble nature, but exquisite talents
and honest soul gives her a glow
unlike any other human.
who is educated and aware and willingly
takes on more knowledge.
who knows when to laugh and when the laughter
has become inappropriate, when the
jokes have ceased to be funny,
when the exclusion, when the cruelty has
reached a maximum, when we must
turn our backs and say,
no, that isn't right.
and who is it hardest to say that to?
our friends.
how do you tell friends that you disagree?
how do you tell family that you disagree?
perhaps even more difficult than telling a
stranger you think, well, that they're wrong.
the things we've seen,
how they've shaped us,
i wouldn't trade any of it for anything.
she said last night that i'd never go back there,
and she's right. i never will.
it's my earnest goal that's already been reached,
that i will be well, and, i am.
i am okay. after years of vying for those words.
they're here. inside me, all around me.
i'm not backing down anymore.
because these people mean too much.
to be cherished, to be listened to,
to be admired and to be respected.
the cruelty of the bullshit is more than i can
take, the heads that whisper and judge,
the "secrets" and the longstanding jokes,
the exclusion and the misconceptions
can no longer be accepted, no longer ignored.
and i promise to myself, to my loved ones,
that if ever an instance of cruetly presents itself,
i will stand up, i will fight,
i will not back down.
because these people are the world,
the best of it,
these people deserve respect.
they deserve love.
they deserve understanding.
like you, like me, like all of us.
i just can't stand the cruelty anymore.
and i won't.