Letter home

Dearest G,

I know it’s been a while since my last visit. Honestly, I didn’t intend to stay away so long. I could make the usual excuses, but you’d see through that, and I won’t insult your omniscience. It sounds cliché, but it really wasn’t about you, it was me.

It seems that whenever I came to visit, there was always someone else there who just annoyed the hell out of me. I hope that last one made you laugh.

You don’t have to remind me that it’s your house, and you can welcome anyone you want as a guest. I get that, really I do. It’s only that it got to where I just couldn’t hold my tongue, I couldn’t let those people keep saying hateful things about my brothers and sisters, just because they were different.

It wasn’t my place to rein them in, to point out the error in their judgments, or that they didn’t have the right to judge anyone. That is your job. I also know that as much as I love my own children, equally and unconditionally, you love all of us the same way.

My whole life, I was taught we are supposed to love our neighbors, treat everyone like we’d want to be treated. That, and that only you had the supreme authority to pass judgment, to decide who was unworthy to be welcome in your house.

The ugliness these people spewed, their intolerance and bigotry was too much for me to hear. Especially when I know the people they said all those terrible things about. People just like me. People who just want the same things I have – a spouse, children, freedom to simply be.

Here is my confession: My judgment of them is just as wrong. If they are stepping outside your commandments, it’s not my place to point it out. You know everything that happens in your house, and it’s not for me to interfere.

What I can do, is to support my friends. Speak up for them, challenge all the rumors and false witness. I’ve come to realize that hatred is borne from ignorance. All I can do is help open minds to the truth, and hopefully hearts.

I pray that if I do come back to your house, I’ll still be welcome.

Love always, t