For all of you

[sailaway58]

I wrote this after reading many of the stories on soulforce. I hope you like it.
sH5eG3oKc_c

[elcharrom]

Aww I wish I could hear it, is something wrong with my comp or is it the vid? Cuz it dont load

[sailaway58]

try again :pray:

[u-dog]

Sailaway,

What a beautiful song! Thank you. I was not that son. My parents made it clear to me in every way that they would love me no matter what, however ENOUGH of that song is my story that I worked really hard and intentionally at being the sort of Father who would love his sons no matter what. if your church ever has a talent night ... sing that song!

Dave

[paul]

Wow Sailaway,

You're quite a person. I'm sitting in my office all teary eyed.

It's very difficult to unravel the knot of growing up in a closet. I think many gays end up scarred for life from it.

Thank you for wanting to understand. It's logical that gay people are going to affirm each other and want to understand. It absolutely floors me when ever I meet a straight person who cares and understands.

paul

[Zerbie]

W It's logical that gay people are going to affirm each other and want to understand. It absolutely floors me when ever I meet a straight person who cares and understands.

paul

:'(:'(:'(

Paul, you just broke my heart! I feel so terrible reading that. :(

I've seen that reaction so many times from guys I know in 3D, but no one has ever articulated it out loud (or in typing) in front of me before.

Folks assume I'm straight. Almost all the gay folks I run into in my daily life show me the kind of reaction you just described and it's heartbreaking. If I get one more look of wide-eyed surprise when I speak out or wear a damn button - !!! I'll cry on the spot.

There are WAY more straight folks that care than you know about. I've identified several straight folks in my circle of acquaintances who are really strong on LGBT issues and very quick to take a stand, who care a lot.

God, I'm glad for the 7 Straight Nights events. Really needed and really overdue.

[wmanion]

Your song rings so true. In the closet, we are not only unable to love ourselves but we feel no one else will love us either; not even God. It is amazing how the truth really does set us free. Thanks for sharing!

Bill

[elcharrom]

I usually dont cry, but that made me cry, that made my eyes water up and all that, I dont even know where to begin to explain my feelings right now, but all I know is, there is hope, there is hope for me to one day to be truly blessed and one day I will get to that promise them 2 above told me, that I will be happy and embraced forever.

[Zerbie]

Just watched the clip.

Thank you, Sailor. :love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[paul]

"There are WAY more straight folks that care than you know about. I've identified several straight folks in my circle of acquaintances who are really strong on LGBT issues and very quick to take a stand, who care a lot."

Zerbie,

I believe that. I'm used to walking around with the walls up, then someone like sailaway comes along and pulls out the key stone and the walls crumble.

I've lived a pretty isolated life. My wife and kids, a few "Christian" friends who believed as I did about gay being broken. That was it. I know it sounds weird, it probably is, but I have lived in isolation. The people who were close to me all fed/feed this gay is broken thinking. So, when I gave up, when I said this isn't working, the only people in my life were people who still believe gay is broken. I was pretty alone and pathetic, not the kind of person people want to be around. Right now, cyber friends are my friends. The people on this sight have saved my life in a sense, not to be melodramatic, it's true in many respects. When some complete stranger like sailaway comes along, lays aside the bias I become undone. I know how hard it can be to lay the teaching aside, it feels like denying God. You risk losing your family and friends. I'm gay, if I am going to find sanity, I have to come to terms or be warped by the effort of resisting my self. Sailaway has much to lose, little to gain. yeah, I'm floored.

[Zerbie]

"There are WAY more straight folks that care than you know about. I've identified several straight folks in my circle of acquaintances who are really strong on LGBT issues and very quick to take a stand, who care a lot."

Zerbie,

I believe that. I'm used to walking around with the walls up, then someone like sailaway comes along and pulls out the key stone and the walls crumble.

I've lived a pretty isolated life. My wife and kids, a few "Christian" friends who believed as I did about gay being broken. That was it. I know it sounds weird, it probably is, but I have lived in isolation. The people who were close to me all fed/feed this gay is broken thinking. So, when I gave up, when I said this isn't working, the only people in my life were people who still believe gay is broken. I was pretty alone and pathetic, not the kind of person people want to be around. Right now, cyber friends are my friends. The people on this sight have saved my life in a sense, not to be melodramatic, it's true in many respects. When some complete stranger like sailaway comes along, lays aside the bias I become undone. I know how hard it can be to lay the teaching aside, it feels like denying God. You risk losing your family and friends. I'm gay, if I am going to find sanity, I have to come to terms or be warped by the effort of resisting my self. Sailaway has much to lose, little to gain. yeah, I'm floored.

:'(:'(:love::love::pray:

Sailor has much to gain. *Much.* Inside stuff. ;)

I see where you're coming from Paul. It depends upon perspective/environment. I keep speaking as a music theater person, so of course I find many straights who speak out. Hubby often has to remind me that the rest of society just isn't like theater people. I forget sometimes.

In your environment, things are of course so very different. The isolation thing isn't weird at all! - that's what your experience is. You have so much insight and you've developed wisdom, yet it's all being unseen by those in your daily life. You yourself are going unseen, and your substantial gifts, unacknowledged. How can it surprise us that you feel isolated in that circumstance?

It's awful to be alone in a crowd. When/where would you ever lay the walls down? I'm sorry you're lonely, Paul. My god, how ironic! You have so much to give to those around you, yet they are closed off to it. :'(:'( :love::love::love::love:

It would be great to scoot you out here for a week or so, hang with all of us (do you like singers? actors?). Maybe you could get to NYC and hang with Daniel and hubby, or in Chicago with David and Dash. When I'm not in this kind of environment, I feel emotionally sick - like I'm no longer in the real world. I can't imagine going a lifetime without it. I don't know how you do. I would just - die!

:love::love::love: ((((((((( Paul ))))))))) :love::love::love:

[BrentRichards]

Saw this posted yesterday, but couldn't watch it as I was on a dialup ... now I've seen it. Wow. Wow. Thank you so much!

[elcharrom]

"There are WAY more straight folks that care than you know about. I've identified several straight folks in my circle of acquaintances who are really strong on LGBT issues and very quick to take a stand, who care a lot."

Zerbie,

I believe that. I'm used to walking around with the walls up, then someone like sailaway comes along and pulls out the key stone and the walls crumble.

I've lived a pretty isolated life. My wife and kids, a few "Christian" friends who believed as I did about gay being broken. That was it. I know it sounds weird, it probably is, but I have lived in isolation. The people who were close to me all fed/feed this gay is broken thinking. So, when I gave up, when I said this isn't working, the only people in my life were people who still believe gay is broken. I was pretty alone and pathetic, not the kind of person people want to be around. Right now, cyber friends are my friends. The people on this sight have saved my life in a sense, not to be melodramatic, it's true in many respects. When some complete stranger like sailaway comes along, lays aside the bias I become undone. I know how hard it can be to lay the teaching aside, it feels like denying God. You risk losing your family and friends. I'm gay, if I am going to find sanity, I have to come to terms or be warped by the effort of resisting my self. Sailaway has much to lose, little to gain. yeah, I'm floored.I know what you sayin Paul, the little I lived I lived feeling isolated, feeling thrown aside and right now all the friends I had have left me, and all I really have is yall :love:, and Im grateful for it, Im happy I dont feel lonely no more :D

And sailaway, any chance you got this on CD or on a mp3 file? I really did like our song :D