It may be time for this blog to end - Time to emerge into something new. Has bigotry ended in Venango County? Afraid not. But a new era truely is here. And it may need a new title. "Hope in Venango County"???
Today, a good friend made a few comments which told a huge story. That story touched me in a profound way. I recently got to know a gay man much my age who never left this county. His half decade life reflects what I experienced here (but I left) and returned expecting to live the closeted, isolated life I would have been destined to live had I not known otherwise. He has lived that closeted life here. And when he felt the need to find like souls, he left here for a day or two. Returning to live a closeted life - a lonely life.
He was amazed to learn that a group of independent people - some gay, some not - are creating a new space and a new attitude right here in Venango County. He is surprised to learn those people are NOT being dismissed by the community. And he is hopeful. He is ready to contribute those talents and skills he never thought he could. He's ready to contribute because he now sees Gay and Lebian people who are contributing and not being persecuted! He's seeing that there are good people asking good people to get involved without a test of heterosexuality.
I had no idea how he felt last weekend when a wonderful group of eclectic people met at the Littler home. We had a traditional family picnic with music and wonderful companionship. This is what a welcoming place can be. This is what community means. A simple, safe space that touched one soul in a special way.
Can you imagine being 50 something and certain that your neighbor's, your community - will not welcome you? That volunteering for anything may mean exposing yourself to ridicule? Can you imagine isolating yourself year after year, night after night because... FOR any reason? Because you are bald.... Because your eyes are blue not brown? Because you are too short or too tall? Isolation because of something that is NOT a threat to anyone.
Think about the people who would stop this person from contributing to our community. What do they contribute? The people who call for exclusion of gay or lesbian or artistic or left wing or blue eyed - if they went away, what would the community loose? What do they contribute? Do they offer solutions? Do they offer inspiration? Do they offer hope? NO, they don't. They keep people away.
Let's open our hearts and minds. Let's build a community. Let's bring home a generation of citizens who have been standing in the shadows. It's time - long past time. Welcome home! Home is welcome!
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