Dear Beloveds,
In the spring of my freshman year of high school, a new show debuted that captivated me. For this straight-A, rule-following Iowa girl, "In Living Color" represented everything foreign and fabulous. A crew of amazing dancers, most of whom are famous now, performed the latest dance moves. Edgy comedy sketches both cracked me up and opened my mind to a new way of being. Could I actually do what I wanna do, as the theme song demanded? Could I let my own irreverent inner dialog out for the world to see? Could I live out loud with complete authenticity? It was clear that something very different was expected of me, even though all of those things were firmly within my reach. I attended a diverse urban high school, and was friends with people from many cultures and ethnicities. I danced, and (with lots of help and some eyerolls from well-meaning squad-mates) was learning those cool new dances. Could this goody-two-shoes really defy all the expectations placed on me and be who I truly was, loud and proud?
I remember feeling very emboldened by these new possibilities. It's funny to me now, this desire to "come out" as my true self, as I didn't realize I was bisexual for six more years. Those expectations, including the expectation that I would date only boys and eventually marry a man, were so pervasive that I didn't even see them. I genuinely didn't see any other options. It never occurred to me to look for one. Despite all of my high intentions to live my truth, it took me a long while to find it. How many of us are living out external expectations, not realizing a truer path is available? How many of us have found our truth, but are afraid of the consequences of our authenticity?
This Sunday, let's explore coming out of whatever closet we are in, and seeing what life is like when you "Do What You Wanna Do."
Much Love,
Rev. Lezli
