Over the last few months I have expressed myself in ways
that some of my family members strongly disagree with here on this blog and I
am sorry. I’m sorry that they have
narrow minds and think that I am doing this to just piss people off and those
of you that know me well know that even though that might be part of it it’s
mostly out of education and love.
I have had some family members disconnect with me via FB and
I recently heard that it was because I have said things that not everyone
agrees with. So I sat and wondered what
I might have said, was it that I believe in same sex marriage? I believe it for several reasons and really
what is it of your business what someone else does with someone they love?! When I hear a guy talk about how much he
hates Gay men and what they do to each other I always ask why is then that they
keep thinking about other men’s penises ?
I know the truth is that they wish they could enjoy another man’s penis
as well! Oh I’m sorry is that something, again, that I have said that not
everyone agrees with? I'll try to warn ahead next time.
Maybe it has been because I have made it known of my strong
connections on the street, well to be honest some of these very same family
members always thought of me as a criminal anyway so why the issue now? Maybe because I have been out spoken about my
differences with the US government but wouldn’t that then mean that I have a
strong love for my land? How is it that
these family members have decided what “everyone” agrees with or not? Oh maybe it’s because some of these family
members are hateful individuals that focus on money as the only form of success
or if you hate Gay people then you are sure to get into Heaven…oh wait right
you don’t hate them you just know for sure that they are going to Hell so you
pray for them every night. And you don't hate people without money you just see them as poor souls you don't care to be around because they are losers in your eyes.
I am well aware of what I say and when I say and to whom I
say it because God has given me the RIGHT to say what I want to say even if it
is against Him. (I know that some of these family members just read me saying
that I’m against God even though I didn’t say that…is that my mom’s phone ringing…)
So they chose to “cut me off” from FB like an angry child that doesn’t want to
hear anything other than what they want to hear. I’m not bothered by the FB thing but it does
bring up a question, do I visit them when I am in their town? As I am accustom of doing when I travel is
reaching out to people I know if I find myself in a town where I know
people. I think it is not cool to be in
someone’s town to visit then leave and say “oh yea I was there sorry I didn’t
reach out” so do I or don’t I say at least HELLO?
Well the good thing is that I really wasn’t raised around
extended family anyway so the hurt isn’t deep at all it’s just more of an
annoyance because it affects others that do not share the views of those
particular family members like a son or daughter or even a sibling. So then am I supposed to just remain silent
and go with the flow? If I did then I wouldn’t be me so for the family members
that disagree with the things I say I ask that why wouldn’t you do the “Christian”
thing and open a dialog with me to find a peaceful medium so that there isn’t
any awkwardness? To hard? Right Jesus died for you so you wouldn’t have
to lift a leg in life to make a difference for anyone and fight for those that
cannot fight for themselves or do the most basic teaching of Jesus which is
LOVE because you already saved so why bother!
Love is a hard thing to do because it means that you have to
challenge yourself on a daily basis.
When I decided to Love people for who they are I had to do it in the
mist, WARNING to family I am about to
say something that might offend you, of a bunch of hard core gang members. So to ease them into understanding that I
didn’t hate Gay people or anyone for that matter I started with telling them that I loved them. Well at first it didn’t go over so well
because I was rejected without hesitation!
I would get looks of disgust or they would take a few steps back as if I
were about to jump on them. For those
that took it as if I was hitting on them I quickly reminded them of how ugly
they were as well as their lack of proper employment. So as time went on I kept pushing the envelope
with them and since I had a bit of respect I knew no one was going to take a
shot at me. So as time went on I would
let them know I loved them before I would leave the corner or their house. One time I had one of their mothers ask what
it was that I said and I told her that I loved her son and she quickly pushed
me out of the house and said that she wanted her son to get married but not
like that! We all laughed because I told
her I would need a better looking partner with good credit.
Then one day I went to go see one of the main guys and it
was around New Years Eve and he was busy getting drunk. He gave me a NYE gift and I hugged him kissed
him on the cheek and told him I loved him and to be safe, I’ve never seen him
smile so big, he smiled and said “I know.”
After that I kept showing love for my Brothers and I wasn’t afraid to
show it and it became interesting one day when one of these Brothers blew a
kiss at me. He did it in front of other
Brothers and his girlfriend. She was not
happy and told him that she was going to go find herself a real man and I got
out of the car and walked up to her and said “you have found a real man because
he was not afraid to show his true feelings in front of others” So I hugged him
and kissed him on the cheek and left.
After that the younger Brothers began to show a strong sense of respect
for me and would shake my hand with a lot of strength. I asked one of them that I barely knew and
really didn’t remember his name that why would he go out of his way to say
hello to me all the time and he said “because you a real Brother and I admire
that!”
To many that might not mean anything because it was coming
from a “gangbanger” but it means the world to me because I knew that this
Brother had a totally different understanding of what LOVE meant. Now isn’t that something a person viewed as a
criminal has a better sense of LOVE than someone that shoots out quotes from
the Bible about who is going to Hell! It
reminds me of who Jesus had by his side…
I may not have a formal college education, a six figure
income, multiple properties, a car, 401K, or even health insurance but I do
have my heart full of LOVE and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. So if I offend you with what I say then I
apologize because this is how God made me so, you might then want to complain
to Him.
Peace/AMOR
Gerardo
