KISS AND TELL

One thing you can be sure in this life is that any relationship of meaning will be put to the test in one form or another.  Ours was no different and it was early on that my first test would surprise me.  We were only a few years into our marriage when it happened.  My work involved a fair bit of travel and I was away for a week to a different city.  I had a friend I went to university with who I knew lived in the city.  Being there for a week with nobody around I decided it...

My entire life I have lived in the closet.  Absolutely nothing to do with feelings regarding myself but more to do with fear of how those I love might respond.  How would my parents, siblings, friends, neighbours, and co-workers react or act if they knew I was gay?  Oddly enough the older I got the more I realized you are going to be let down by people in your life without fail.  That's when I made the decision that I would rather know now who loves me regardless than remaining in relationship with posers.  I sat down and spoke my...

While we had a child to begin our married life, love was still fresh and new for us.  Thankfully we had family and friends that loved to babysit so that we still had plenty of time together as a couple.  Aside from that, one child doesn't limit your ability to do adventurous spur of the moment things.  Our young age probably helped with that as well, being more energetic and eager.  For us day trips were a staple in our marriage and even as a family, even now to this day they still are.  I know some people have to...

I knew from the a very young age that something was unique about me compared to the people and society around me.  I knew that I was attracted to women, which in my country was strictly forbidden with the most severe of punishments.  I am not sure how you can ban love but that is exactly what my country has done.  I had accepted the fact I would never be able to truly be myself or live the life I wanted.  I am not a risk taker and while others dared to secretly carry on their truth, the cost of...

Having a child brings a whole new chapter to your life, one that really nothing can prepare you fully.  We did books, classes and tried to learn everything we could about parenting but the joy and challenges are never quite captured outside of being in the moments.  And that first little while with each child, but especially your first, is sheer survival.  I try and tell people that when they have a new child that it is completely normal for awhile to be simply in survival mode.  Our first was not typical in many ways.  I recently read a joke...