ay daddio-

been forever since we last caught up. that is my bad. i got a huge promotion at work. you are now talking to the assistant customer service manager. i am transforming every single day into someone i want to be; shit is pretty wild. lots of changes. good changes.

to make room for the fruits of my labor, i am closing the door to my breakup in april with g.

here are some parting thoughts about it:

i am becoming more cognizant of the spectrum that is at play when it comes something as complex as the concept as “masculinity.”

in life, it is important to keep in mind that nothing is black or white; it’s all shades of grey. however, there is a definite degree of toxic at one end of the spectrum.

these last 9 months i have been reviewing what masculinity is. if you were anything like papa, we would have had some heated thanksgiving discussions over it. the gillette commercial recently has brought all the internal dialogues i have been having to my facebook feed.

g was at that end of the spectrum.

at the time, it was normal. i did not recognize it as toxic. hell, i worshiped those toxic traits that he displayed.

i thought those traits made him a man.

they do not.

daddy, you ought to give thanks to the men who have helped me in this journey: the doctor, bond, and the newest addition.

i sure do.

interactions with them are soaked with lessons that my parched soul slurps up.

they are… deliberate, creative, just, compassionate, honorable, honest, accountable, confident, brave, dependable, respectful, and diligent.

they explore their weaknesses out loud without a NEED to blindly defend themselves.

they respect boundaries AND they set them.

they do not withhold affection.

they listen, they listen, they listen…

i do not feel shame or guilt whilst interacting with them.

i do not feel the need to hide parts of myself.

they are truly a safe safe and an ally.

xoxo,

your liberated daughter