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November 28, 2004
Family
Being in the twelve-step rooms, I hear lots of different stories about people’s families, often involving abuse and neglect. Gay men, especially, are often estranged from their families, doubly so when addiction is involved.
Having taken the trip to South Carolina for Thanksgiving gave me a new level of appreciation for the love and support I receive from my parents and my siblings. While I often joke about this one or that one, in spite of our unique character traits, we still have a great deal of love and tolerance for one another.
This is not to say that I’m detracting from people’s own choice of families. Oftentimes people have to create their own families from their circumstances, whether due to abandonment or hard feelings, anger and resentments. I’m just glad to say that I still love the original family in which I grew up.
Every few years or so, my siblings and I manage to all be in the same place at the same time. This time the occasion included all of their spouses and children, the entire clan all at once. Everyone, that is, except one important person to me.
I wish Michael could have been there to stand next to me in the huge clan picture. Hopefully, he’ll be out by next holiday season, and I promise him, no matter what new form our relationship may take upon his release, that he will be there with me to visit.
And my family will welcome him with open arms.
Oh, I’m the one in the plaid shirt.
Posted by Bastique at November 28, 2004 10:34 AM