Guys,
I watched Blake's video on drinking and driving this morning: and it really touched me. It is raw, and angry, and sad, and truthful. I hope that expressing those true (and justified) emotions, will help Blake to come to terms with how he feels, right in this moment: and I hope that, over time (though full healing takes much longer) he will one day begin to heal. But one can never, ever, forget a loss, like this.
Tampa, I feel just as you do. Though it cost Blake a lot to make that video - I feel SURE that his tough, and eloquent, and emotional, presentation of the COSTS of drunk driving WILL SAVE someone's life. Perhaps it will be in a faraway country, and doubtless neither Blake, nor ANY of us, will know WHOSE life he has saved. But, I am sure that his eloquent words will make a DIFFERENCE.
And - as far as all of us being a kind of FAMILY. Well, there are two kinds of families, one is part of. One, is one's biological family - which, in my personal situation, I am very lucky about: because all my biological family is good, and kind, to me. The second, is the family one CHOOSES ~ which, for gay people, historically: has always been highly significant, for us - as it certainly has been, for me.
These are the people whom, because of their goodness and kindness and caring, one CHOOSES for oneself: whether as lovers; or, as friends (who are more like brothers or sisters, than mere friends). While I suppose that the many of my "second" kind of family are gay or lesbian people ~ there are quite a number of straight men and women, who are, too. (And this is just as significant, to me. For, while I won't have children of my own: I do believe that EVERYONE's words and deeds of genuine love live on, in and through the people we love. And that is important.)
I am very happy to know that so many of you, here, are part of that real, "chosen" family, of mine. And you are one of these people, Blake.
"A" XOXOXOXOXO