Congratulations. You’ve won. You’ve earned your ticket into Heaven by showing your son God’s love.
You’ve shown your son God’s love by not allowing him to bring me to
your home for Christmas. You’ve done exactly what Jesus would do – shun
others. After all, Jesus didn’t let JUST ANYONE at his table. It’s sad
that on a day you celebrate the birth of Christ, you’ll be acting in the
complete opposite way that Jesus acted. Alas, you must show your son
God’s love and not condone “our behavior.”
It worked last Christmas. You manipulated him into coming home and he
was treated as if he were a leper. He was called names, harassed, and
told he was going to Hell because I was dragging him there myself. He
was in mental anguish over your treatment of him. You tore him apart
with your words.
You degraded your only son.
But this Christmas….. He’s over it. He’s over the threats, the lies,
and the bullying. Since you don’t recognize him and I as a couple and
since you’ve said you won’t treat us like part of the family, he’s
decided to choose love over hate this Christmas. He’s choosing to NOT go
back to what he once called home. His home is with me and it has been
for three years. He’s become an integral part of my family. While you
were shunning your son away, he found a family of his own. He found
people who love him without conditions. He found a table he was welcome
at.
During your Christmas celebration when you try to justify your
actions, please remember that you gave your son an ultimatum – for him
to get rid of the love of his life or to leave your family. I know you
blame me for taking your son away, but whether I’m in the picture or
not, your son is still gay and you must face this realization.
You’ve made it abundantly clear that you think I’m demon-possessed, a
bad influence, and a sinner. Your judgment of me has no effect, but
your treatment of your son causes my heart to bleed. I’ve had to sit by
and watch you throw stones at the person I love most. I’ve watched as
you and the rest of his family have disowned him. I’ve thought of every
scenario to get you to love your son again. I’ve blamed myself because I
felt as if I personally caused him to lose his family. I know this
isn’t the case and that your son chose me because he recognized true
love. I’m writing this to say that I have your son’s love and that’s all
that matters. Your son and I love each other and that love is eternal
and unconditional.
While you’re feeling comforted knowing that you’ll be rewarded in the
next life for “not condoning the gay lifestyle”, I’m consoling your son
in THIS LIFE. I’m the shoulder your son cries on today. I’m the person
who will hug him tight tomorrow. I’m the one who will apologize on your
behalf until the day I die. I’m the one who wants to scream at you and
say, “Stop! You’re hurting your son!
You’re hurting your only son!” But
deep down, I know where your heart lies. Your heart beats to that of a
literal interpretation of the Bible. Your heart beats to Fox News. Your
heart beats to discrimination and treating other “sinners” the way you
think they should be treated – condemned to Hell. Your heart beats with
hatred to the things you fear and do not understand.
This Christmas, your son and I are surrounding ourselves with people
who love and care about us. We understand what true love is. So this
Christmas when you think to yourselves, “He’s abandoned his family for
the gay lifestyle,” just know that your son didn’t abandon you. He’s
been the same person he’s always been. You are the ones who changed.
You’ve deemed certain people unworthy to sit at your table. You’ve put
conditions on your love for your son and that is the worst Christmas
gift of all.
Caleb Woods is a Communications and English major. He is a reader, a
writer, and an activist for LGBT rights, women’s rights, and the rights
of the American people. He has lived in Alabama for his entire life and
has experienced first-hand discrimination and bigotry. He hopes to
change hearts and minds across the world so that people may show more
compassion and empathy for their fellow man and woman.
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