How had they known his secret? Why did they suddenly hate him? Why was he different?
Looking through the glass he saw tears on the boy’s face. His jersey was torn where he had been pushed and shoved into the wall of the bathroom stall. He could see the boy’s Bible where it lay on the dirty floor with the rest of the books and papers that had been in his backpack before fear and hatred erupted in this normally quiet corner of the school. As thundered rolled and storm clouds passed over the window the room grew dark and his image faded in the mirror as he prayed desperately to understand why his friends, his teammates had done this to him. How had they known his secret? Why did they suddenly hate him? Why was he different? Why was something wrong with him?
Years later as thunder rolled and storm clouds passed a man looked into a mirror in a different room. For a brief moment he glimpsed an image of the boy’s face. He understands that when men believe lies and choose to live in ignorance they allow their hearts to be filled with fear and hatred not love. He sees the Bible he had picked up and put in his backpack on that terrible day. He sees the bed he shares with his partner, his lover, his husband. The bed where he prays each night thanking God that he no longer has a terrible secret to keep, where he thanks God that he has survived to live knowing nothing was ever wrong with him … or you.
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Photo: Matt Anderson/flicr