Inspiration and Temptation

In the small town of Belton, Texas, last Thursday night was the Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2013 at Belton High School.  It was the largest Graduating Class in the history of the school and the Ceremony was held at the Bell County Expo.  The Expo was packed with the Graduating Class, Parents, friends, family members, and classmates.  The class Salutatorian, Mitch Anderson, stood at the podium looking out on the crowded Expo Center, then undaunted by the crowd began his speech which he titled "Standing on the Sun".  Mitch had a lot to say to those gathered in front of him and for the first time in his young life, he made the following statement:

"I myself am guilty of self-doubt, relying on others to give my life definition. But that time has passed, and I feel the moment has arrived for me to be publically true to my personal identity. So now, I can say, I’m gay. It is both a significant portion of who I am and an inconsequential aspect. It’s as natural and effortless to me as breathing. I couldn’t change myself even if I wanted, and believe me, I have. 

I have been bullied a lot. I’ve been called unspeakable things and relegated to a place of lower class. I have been made to feel worthless, unneeded, a blight on the world. People have mocked me, said that I was virtually subhuman. So, for a while, I was in a very dark place. I had no concept of self-worth, and frequently pondered suicide. I became so dejected, that many times I thought of killing myself not just because I saw no point to life, but because I had been convinced that doing so would actually make the world better. And so, for many years, I continued the cyclical, destructive thought patterns. This happened both before and after I thought about my sexuality. And after I had realized I was gay, I hated myself. I wished and prayed endlessly that I could just go on with life normally, that I could be like everyone else. Being different felt like a curse, an unfair sentence to the life of an outcast.

There were moments when I believed I was next to nothing. But I learned that what others think of you is not nearly as meaningful as what you think of yourself. You cannot owe the quality of your existence to other people. You must evaluate your life and give it purpose. You must recognize that you are an expression of the divine, a being made perfect through celebration of your perceived imperfections."

Mitch went on to say many other things to his Parents, friends, family and classmates who for the first time learned that he was gay including the following:

"Please, embrace self-empowerment. You gain confidence, an unswerving belief that you matter and the ability of your existence to make an indelible mark on the world. You gain compassion and empathy. You will love and be loved. Most importantly, you will finally start living the life that you were always meant to live."

You can read the entire speech "Standing on the Sun" by clicking here and you can read the local media interview with Mitch on the day after graduation here.  If this is the caliber of young LGBT people that are rising up with the next generation, then I would think that indeed, the future is in very capable hands.  We should all encourage those we meet, like Mitch and countless other LGBT youth, let them know they matter, they should love themselves for they are loved, and they can make their own mark on the world just by being true to themselves.  

In your Tuesday Musical Reprise we explore music written for the Oboe by three different composers. The first piece in the set, The Oboe Trio by Ludwig von Beethoven is a set of variations on a theme from Mozart's Don Juan performed by the Royal Danish Oboes comprised of Joakim Dam Thomsen 1st Oboe, Rixon Thomas 2nd Oboe, and Sven Buller on the English Horn. The second piece in this set is The Oboe Concerto in C Minor by Allessandro Marcello in a performance by the Filarmonico de Jalisco conducted by Leonardo Gasparini featuring Domingo Damian Espinoza on solo Oboe. The final piece in this set is Concerto Number 2 for Oboe and Strings in D Minor, Opus 9 by Tomaso Albinoni performed by Il Fondamento featuring Paul Dombrecht as both conductor and Oboe soloist. 

Then finally for this Tuesday, I have a eclectic collection of ruggedly handsome hunks, some twinks and twunks, and a bathing beauty or two, who are eager to serve as your Tuesday's Temptations. They are all lounging about the page after the play list for your visual examination and appreciation.  Thanks for spending part of your day here at Nichevo, come again soon and often.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!