This morning, I woke up early, to engage in reading and writing Spiritually Uplifting words.
As I was reading passages from the two “page-a-day” books with which I AM working this year, Affirmations for the Inner Child, by Rokelle Lerner, and Lavender Reflections: Affirmations for Lesbians & Gay Men, by Eleanor Ruth Wagner, photographs by Victor Arimondi, I was Divinely Guided to share some of these passages with all of you.
Here we go…
January 8
Self-Liberation
The laws of God, the laws of man
He may keep that will and can
Not I: let God and man decree
Laws for themselves and not for me;
And if my ways are not as theirs
Let them mind their own affairs.
Their deeds I judge and much condemn,
Yet when did I make laws for them?
“Last Poems, XII,” from The Collected Poems of A. E. Housman
February 10
Anger
My anger is an important part of me.
Anger is a sane response to the reality of my life. Dealing with the homophobic world, I feel angry. I get furious at the world that tells me I am bad and sick and defective. I am enraged when people try to change me or decide for me whether I should be in or out of the closet. I am angry with myself for not consistently standing up to the world proudly or for not always loving myself just the way I am.
Often I try to hide or deny my feelings. Today I acknowledge my anger and choose new ways of dealing with it that do not destroy myself or others. I seek people who can support me in all my emotions and places where I can express hostility safely. In certain circumstances it is inappropriate or unwise to express my anger, but I need a way to deal with all those angry feelings, and I can structure ways of doing that.
Being angry doesn’t have to mean being out of control. Sometimes I need to shout my anger, but I can also be angry in a soft voice. I can find safe physical ways of dealing with strong feelings, and sometimes simply talking or crying helps me work them through.
As I deal with my anger, I am finding there is less of it, and I can live without a constant chip on my shoulder. I am being healthy in my anger.
March 8
Healing from Abuse
I heal from sexual abuse.
Many people, heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual, male and female, have suffered sexual abuse. Even if I have not experienced such abuse myself, someone close to me may be a survivor of abuse, and I choose to participate in the collective healing of a sick society that has allowed this violence to occur.
I need to be patient and impatient–letting myself know that the healing will take a long time while working to find the help I need to speed the healing process. Trusting my inner voice, I do whatever is necessary to take care of myself. I did not deserve this abuse. I do deserve to heal.
I realize that my sexual orientation is a positive aspect of my selfhood, not the negative after-effect of past trauma. I affirm that no one can make me homosexual or heterosexual. If I am bisexual, my life experiences may affect which gender I choose for my relationships, but when it is a choice, I am in control of that choice. As I find more joy in my same-sex loving, I refuse to give any perpetrator of evil credit for what is good in my nature. I am who I am, and I am healing with each new day.
May these Life-Affirming words empower you, heal you, strengthen you.
Thank you for honoring who you are and what you do.
This Gay Man's Life... 