Families are supposed to be there for each other no matter what. Families are supposed to support one another no matter the decision. Families are supposed to love one another regardless of sexual orientation, hobbies, lifestyles,etc. In honest opinion whoever said this, must not have had the kind of family most people have. Most families that i know are broken. Mothers who argue constantly with their daughters. Fathers ashamed of their sons because their son is gay. Parents, and extended family members, who disown someone because of their opposing religious stance. Its rather ironic that people can preach unconditional love, yet show everything but.
Don't get me wrong I still care about mine, however, I regret sometimes being different from them. I am a pagan, a closeted bi-sexual, an artist and writer in every sense of both terms, a musician, and a humanitarian. I've always cared about and for other people. I'm there whenever I am needed. Yet because of my beliefs , I am shunned, treated every bit like the outsider. Some unconditional love huh?
I have no problem with anyone being different; matter of fact, I admire those who can courageously look their families in the eyes and go "This is me. This is who I am. Take it or leave it." Sometimes, I am jealousy by such courage; kind of makes me wonder "What's wrong with being who I am?" If their love was so unconditional, they how come they cannot, rather WILL NOT accept me for who I am? Why is it that they care more about what they remember, the stand-out A and B scholar student, the excellent artist, the quiet, respectable and respectful, helpful one? The one they always relied on in a time of need, yet discarded like trash when the need has been fulfilled? What kind of family does these kinds of things?
They know me, but they don;t know me. They love me, so they say, but they can't stand me. They admire me
for finding my own path in life, yet condemn me for it. They brag about my progress in school, yet always find fault with it taking up most of my time; Mind them that I am 5 quarters from graduation. They brag about, "oh she's so smart" and "she's such an artist", but you don't know me that well, that even in knowing, you have to ask, "Can you still draw?" If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I have certification from 2 art schools, getting ready to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Digital Film from another, that filming jobs are normally time consuming, and often away from home. Do they know that I can still speak fluent Mandarin? Do they know that I despise being around them all the time? Do they know that they are suffocating me? Do they not know that by keeping me on a tight leash does nothing but push me further away? Oh I forgot, they never cared in the first place. They brag about my artistic career, yet ironically told me the arts do not pay well.
I blame myself a lot of times for this. For not being firm and standing my ground, for not telling them what pains me, what I hide on the inside. Heaven help me if and when to decide that I am bi-sexual, and have been since high school. Then the lid would really fly off the pans. Although it is funny, because my family is no stranger to Gay and Lesbian family members. My late uncle was gay, and the family knew about it but played it off. My late cousin Marty was gay, and I found out after he passed away...again the family played it off. My cousin Opal is a proud lesbian, and she came out to her parents 2 years ago. No one has talked to her since. I, however, am trying to find a way to contact her. With all of these members being gay and lesbian, one would've thought, shunning them is NOT the answer. Yet, all were casualties of so-called "unconditional love".
Well if that is what "unconditional love " is, I want no parts of it.
