Dear Mom and Dad,
First, I would like to thank you for the gift of my life. The weight of that gift, to me, is clear…
I have a responsibility to live my life with love and respect… Compassion and hope… Patience and understanding… And not just for myself but for those who share my life and for those I may never meet. By doing this, I know that I am honoring you and paying tribute to the gift you so lovingly gave.
I also realize that because of the choice you made to bring a child into this world you too have taken on great responsibilities… To love unconditionally… To guide me to be true to who I am… And more importantly to honor my heart.
I am asking in this moment that you put aside the dreams you may have had for me and see clearly the dreams I have for myself. To be accepted not tolerated… To be seen as equal… And more importantly, to love and to be loved…
I believe who I love is not what ultimately defines me. What does define me is my ability ‘to’ love… And that, in part, is due to you. Take those moments of unconditional love that we have shared and hold them close to your heart… I do. They are all that will ever matter. The fact that I am LGBTQ can never change that. Put aside any preconceived notions you may have about my community and just listen. There was no choice on my part… You did nothing wrong… This is who I am…
See me for the innocent child that I am and love me because of that.
Your child
Michael Foley
