Of the Highest Order

     Recently, I have received compliments from a couple of different sources that warmed my heart so very much.  Two of those compliments came from my friend, Andrea.  Now, Andrea lives in Georgia and she and I have never personally met, but I think that if we ever did, we would get along very well.  Not because we agree on everything, because we don't.  But, we do share an ideal that used to be common in America, before we let the politicians and media personalities divide us.  That ideal is to treat others with love, respect and dignity.  In current day America, you hear people talk about love for one another but upon close examination, those talking the talk almost never walk the actual walk.

    The division is often laid at the feet of our nation's capitol.  While I agree that much of the division comes from there, I hold our nation's churches equally to blame.  I'll just bet that Andrea, even though she's an atheist, recognizes that today's church commonly spreads hate and anger disguised as love and acceptance.  But, the disguise is wearing thin, and I believe that is evidenced by the decline in church attendances over the past 40-50 years.  In 1980, attendance was between 38% and 42%.  In more recent years, those numbers have dropped to between 20% and 30%.  Those numbers, of course, depend on specifics such as year and survey.  The fact that such a significant drop occurred does not bode well for religion.

    An example of the hate and anger from a Christian source was not long ago brought to my Facebook page.  A cousin of mine saw that I'm transgender, and that I claim to be Christian.  She commented, angrily, that I can't be a Christian if I'm trans, and began making some of the most hateful comments concerning the trans community that I've seen, yet.

    Getting back to Andrea for a moment:  She recently told me that my writing was "very thought provoking", and even made her do research.  Research done voluntarily is a display of one's willingness to, at the very least, consider other points of view and, perhaps, even expand their own.  That is a very high compliment for a non-fiction creative writer.  When I read those words, my heart swelled with gladness!

    Another compliment came from someone at M-Care Healthcare in Wichita, Kansas; the clinic I go to for my gender affirming healthcare needs.  I don't know if the clinic employs a social media manager, or if the individual was the owner of the clinic - Amanda Mogoi, APRN.  By the way, Ms. Amanda is one of my personal heroes.  I'd appreciate it if someone would let her know that.  If it wasn't for the work she does, and the risk that she took opening a clinic that specializes in offering healthcare to the broader LGBTQ+ community and gender affirming healthcare to the trans community, I'd be stuck only wishing I could find such medical care.  Living in a small town in the sticks makes this especially challenging.

    Whoever it is in relation to the clinic who responds to messages on Meta's Messenger app, they recently thanked me for sharing my blog content with them, saying they were impressed by my raw take on life.  That "raw take on life" that they find impressive is based on the wisdom that came when a confused and fearful child of ten prayed that God would impart on me a mere fraction of the wisdom He allowed Solomon.  Soon afterward, I was answering questions and giving advice to kids at school and around my neighborhood.

    This viewpoint of mine is just a part of who I am.  That it evokes such compliments of the highest order is an honor that I hope to live up to until my dying day, and I thank you who have given them from the bottom of my heart.