My Shadow Days Are Over Now

I'm a good man, with a good heart,

had a tough time, got a rough start,

But I finally learned to let it go,

Now I'm right here, and I'm right now, 

And I'm open, knowing somehow

That my shadow days are over,

My shadow days are over now.

--John Mayer, "Shadow Days"

This is sort of an epilogue to my two recent posts entitled "Are We Really Born This Way?" If you missed them, please check them out here (Part 1) and here (Part 2).

First, I want to thank everyone who commented on the blog and on Facebook for your support and your kind, loving words. That affirmation means the world to me.

A Love Letter to Your Child

Today I want to share with you a wonderful post from the blog Momastery, which is now one of my favorite blogs. It contains one of the most beautiful, heartfelt expressions of love for one's child that I have ever read. Another blogger pointed me to it after I wrote the heated post, "We're Not Just Your Punching Bag." It was something I really needed to read.

The message is simple: love one another. The Bible says it. Cher says it. Countless other people have said it. But unless you really walk the walk and actually love your neighbors as yourselves without judging them, the words are hollow. The message is nothing without the application of its meaning.

Photo from readingacts.wordpress.com

The (Serious) Hits

Last week, I posted a list of my favorite pieces on the blog that were sweet or funny (aside from those already featured in the "popular posts" column). Many of them were written in the blog's infancy, so I wanted to remind people that they're there.

Now I'd like to call your attention to a few of my favorite posts of a more serious/ political/ thought-provoking nature. Please check them out and let us know what you think!

The Gender Divide - describes the sometimes ridiculous delineation between toys and interests that are supposed to be "just for girls" or "just for boys" and explores what some of the underlying concerns are when kids don't neatly fit the "ideal" gender stereotype.

It's Unconditional

Blogger’s Note:  This post is written in honor of National Coming Out Day..... for all who have found the courage to live openly and honestly, for all those who are still struggling with that decision, and for those whose families have let them down. You are not alone. It does get better.

Unconditional love. We feel it with our kids. Maybe we feel it with our pets. Hopefully we feel it with our other loved ones and friends too……

……Until we don’t.  Sometimes we have a falling out, a difference of opinion that just feels too hard to handle, and we just stop talking. Or our loved one does something that bothers us so much we can’t feel the same way about them, no matter how hard we try.

It’s always sad when this happens. Unfortunately, though, these cycles are a part of life. 

But one thing they should never be is a barrier between us and our kids.