Some Hope and Some Sadness

To contextualize this video for posterity (sometimes I read posts and even I have no idea what I'm talking about. haha!), there have been a spate of LGBTQI teenagers/young people who have committed suicide in recent months due to bullying. In response, the "It Gets Better" video project came into being. The momentum just keeps growing - I have seen videos for the Deaf community, videos from a councilman who had never talked about his experiences, from the theatre community, etc.  This video moved me tonight and I wanted to post it here as a message that life does get better. There are good people out there - members of the LGBTQI communities and those who are not. It is so easy to lose hope these days.

Some sadness is related to the illness of my friend and mentor, Alan Champion. TDF posted this article on Facebook today. It is a lovely article and just brings home that Alan is really fighting for his life. He told me that, so it wasn't news to me. It just hit home as I was reading - it made me realize that I need to make a trip to NYC to see him. It has been too long. Even if I am just sitting in a room with him and he just knows for an instant that I am there to bring love and healing and good energy, that is enough for me. He has given me so many gifts that he doesn't even know about. Something about him shot straight to my heart the day I met him. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I felt instantly like I was supposed to be a member of his tribe. I have been lucky in that he has always been so gracious and welcoming to me. **I know I'm not really very articulate about this - it is so visceral for me, I can't really explain what I mean. Suffice to say that Alan has a special place in my heart and memory and he always will. I am sending him love and prayers. Please send him some of your love and prayers too - even if you don't know him. It would be good Karma.

Here is a video from the American Theatre Wing with Alan.