Monday, June 9, 2014

To All the Spiritually Orphaned Children

Broken Heart by Samael Kreutz
"Broken Heart" by Samael Kreutz,
used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License

Dear kids and kids at heart,

If you've got parents, or grandparents, or siblings, or other family members who have rejected you because you are somewhere on the LGBTQIA spectrum (or because your religious beliefs, politics, interests, or life plans differ from theirs, or just because they didn't particularly want kids but they got you anyway), it can feel like you are a failure. You aren't.

If you are certain you would be rejected if they really knew you, it can feel like you are dishonest and untrustworthy. You aren't.

Your worth isn't defined by your parents or family. It isn't determined by whether people who share your DNA love or accept you.

If you are your authentic self, you are commendable. If you haven't come out to your family because you are still sorting out your identity, you are worthy. If you have had to be less than authentic in order to survive until you can live independently, you are admirable.

Don't ever let the failure of others to love unselfishly define who you are and what you are worth. Love isn't something that's earned. It's a gift that is given freely. If someone hasn't given you that gift, that's sad, but it says more about them than it does about you.

To the best of your ability, considering your circumstances, be your authentic self, extend love and compassion to others, even when it isn't extended to you, and don't give up hope.

There are people out in the world waiting to be your family-- your true family, not by blood or upbringing, but by the deeper DNA of heart. You will find us everywhere. Some, like you, are spiritual orphans. They need you to survive and thrive.

We love you. We can't wait to meet.

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful and so helpful to all of us who've felt alone and abandoned at some point in our lives.

    Thanks for the message of hope and comfort

    ReplyDelete