Loneliness
Coming out as gay became a template for more changes in my life. I began to ask myself, “If I mistakenly cast my queerness as a deficiency, what about other character traits that I thought were weaknesses?” Like a spiral of dominoes, I put down my put-downs and saw myself take shape.
Some of us may find Christmastime to be faith-affirming, while others may be struggling to define or understand their spiritual identities. As we find ourselves in the midst of Holiday celebration, it is my wish that each of us be gentle with ourselves in our processes.
While the holidays are a time of celebration, they can also mean additional stress for anyone. For LGBT Mormons and their families, the holidays can be particularly stressful. We can combat stress by recognizing the cycle of stress and stress-induced habits, keeping perspective, and avoiding judging ourselves and others. We can learn to manage stress in a healthy way.