Yesterday we saw Sex & The City for the second time and it was just as sweet as the first. I think one of the things that made me fall in love with the show was the enduring friendships the girls shared. They could always count on each other during the good times and the bad. They were more than just friends, they were family, and sometimes while watching the show they felt like a part of my family, reminding me of the more difficult times in my own life and the friends who helped me get through them.
So when the Pride flags were raised on Market Street last week, it wasn’t gay marriage, the film festival or even the Pride parade which leapt to mind. It was my friends.
My best memories of Pride are those that I spent with friends, or more accurately, my extended family before my real family even knew who I was. Every Pride we would venture out because it was OUR day. Our day to celebrate. Our day to be proud of who we were.
Of course we are all older now. Many of us can’t be bothered. Some have moved away and some have moved on with their lives. Friends who were once close, are now distant and seldom seen. And the friendships that were once easy and enduring, now require more work than they should just to keep them alive.
So while Pride is in the air it doesn’t smell as sweet as I remember. But I’m thankful to be in a secure and loving relationship. I am happy that my parents accept me for who I am, and that their love is unconditional. And I am glad I still have friends who will call just for the sake of calling, just to say hello.
For all these things I am grateful, and not just during Pride, or Thanksgiving, or Christmas… but all year long. It just took a rainbow for me to realize it.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Thank you for this lovely post in your blog reminding all of us that this is Pride month. It is true, sad but true, that not everything is constant even in friendship. People come… people go but we know one thing is constant, and that’s us, zoe and our immediate family. It has been tough for most Americans these past 8 years but for the LGBT community, it has been a lot tougher. But there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel and it looks like it’s going to be 1 fabulous rainbow. Happy Pride Mahal (Love).
June 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Several years ago we watched a young boy play tennis in front of the house. We watched as that same young boy grow into a fine man. We always thought our son had more on his mind but was not sure how we would react to him being gay. Gay is only a word, it is what you make of it. It also means merry, bright and lively. Now who would not like to be merry or bright and lively in life. Heck most people may have a little gay pride within there selves and don’t even know it. As a mother and father, and parents of a gay son are happy to say we are proud of him. What we want in life for him is to be Happy, with his partner and who he is. Parents of Elvis