If You Love Someone Who's Gay

Last night Ollie and I went for a walk after dark because it's terribly hot here in Kansas City, far too hot for little wiener dogs to walk during the daylight hours. My clothes were soaking wet by the time we got back home, and Ollie couldn't get to his water bowl fast enough. I grabbed a glass of iced tea and settled in on the couch to do some writing for a friend's website, while Ollie snuggled next to me. I wrote for a couple of hours, watched a little television until I got sleepy and finally went to bed around 1 a.m. We slept in a bit this morning, waking up at 9:45. I went about my normal weekend morning routine ... let Ollie out to potty, feed Ollie, go to the bathroom, fix breakfast, take my pills, sit down on the couch and flip on the television to watch the Sunday morning news. And other than the hour and a half that it took to go get the oil changed in my car, that's where I've been all day ... safe inside my house, sitting on my couch, watching the heart-wrenching news of what happened last night in Orlando.

Much has been spoken and written today about terrorism, hate toward the LGBT community, gun control and mental illness in regard to last night's tragedy, and that dialogue will continue for days and weeks and perhaps even years to come. The only person who truly knew what spurred the violent attack at the Pulse nightclub last night is the young man who walked into that establishment and opened fire on a group of innocent human beings. Whatever the young man considered to be his motivation for last night's murderous rampage, the fact remains that families and friends are grieving today for the loss of someone they loved or standing by the bedsides of those who were wounded. The fact remains that it was hate that pulled the trigger last night, friends ... it was terrifyingly real and visible hate that pulled the trigger.

Earlier today when I was flipping channels watching coverage of the shootings, I happened upon a news conference in Washington, D.C. with several national leaders from the LGBT community. While many of their comments stuck a chord deep within my heart, it was one from an African American gentleman that went straight to the center of my being. He said, "Every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person in the world today is afraid. Today, they are feeling more alone and more separate from others than perhaps at any other time in history. They feel anew the despair of discrimination and the burning pain of hate. Every member of the LGBT community knows that it could happen to them." He's right, my friends ... he's very, very right.

If you love someone who's gay, today would be a good day to tell them you love them. Today would be a good day to call them and let them know you're thinking about them. Today would be a good day to invite them over for a drink and to chat for a while. Today would be a good day to wrap your arms around them, hold them tighter than you ever have before, and tell them how very much you love them. If you love someone who's gay, think about the families and friends in Orlando who will never again have that chance. If you love someone who's gay or straight or anything in between, let them know ... not just today, friends, but every day. There is nothing more important ... not chores around the house or sporting events or work or anything in life that's more important than people knowing they are loved, cared for and appreciated just the way they are.

Take care of each other, friends ... love you all.