One of the greatest gifts of getting older is realizing that family isn’t always defined by DNA. Sometimes, it’s defined by who shows up, by who chooses us, and by whom we choose in return.
Last night, I had the pleasure of sharing dinner and drinks with two of my new favorite people. While we haven’t known each other all that long, John and Joey have already become dear friends. They’re a married couple whose relationship I truly admire and whose love story warms my heart. Their adorable, energetic little dog is an added bonus to our friendship.
After a delicious Mexican dinner, we drove down the block to the bar where they first met more than 30 years ago. Thirty years!
In a world that often celebrates what’s new and shiny, there’s something deeply comforting about seeing two people still choosing each other after three decades. They’re still laughing together, still finishing each other’s stories, and still writing their happily ever after, one day at a time. It’s the kind of love story that quietly restores my faith in love and long-term relationships.
This morning, I’m heading down to Orange County to spend time with two of my chosen brothers, who also happen to be newlyweds. They now call Alabama home but are back in California for a quick visit, and I’m grateful our schedules lined up long enough for some quality, in-real-life face time. Way better than FaceTime!
Later tonight, I’ll be catching up with another friend over dinner and whatever adventure the evening brings. Maybe we’ll do some Netflix and chill...minus the Netflix. I’ve never quite clicked with most of their original productions. Too many of them feel like they were assembled by bots instead of artists.
Thankfully, good conversation doesn’t require a streaming subscription.
The only disappointment this weekend is that I won’t get to see my sister-from-another-mister, Miss B, who’s visiting from Portland. Sometimes calendars, geography, and life simply refuse to cooperate.
I’m bummed we couldn’t make it work, but that’s the beauty of real friendships. They survive busy schedules, missed opportunities, and the miles between visits. Miss B and I will pick up where we left off the next time one of us lands in the other’s city. And over FaceTime as needed.
Weekends like this remind me how fortunate I am. My chosen family and dear friends have become some of the greatest blessings in my life.
Not everyone we love shares our last name. But some share our values and some of our history. Some simply arrive exactly when we need them most.
However they find their way into our lives, they’re my dears, nears, and/or queers.
And this weekend, I get to spend time with quite a few of them.
Keep calm and keep shining!
Clint 🌈✌️
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ICYMI = IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
SUNDAY = Father's Day + Father Figures
MONDAY = A Man For All Reasons...
TUESDAY = Look For The Good
WEDNESDAY = A Day Late + A Dollar Short
THURSDAY = Keep On Keeping On
FRIDAY = The Stories We Tell Ourselves
SATURDAY = I Wanna Dance With Somebody...
FROM THE ARCHIVES
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
06-28 = David Kopay (1942- ) = American football player 🌈
06-28 = Mike White (1970- ) = American actor and filmmaker 🌈
06-28 = Sunil Babu Pant (1972- ) = Nepalese politician and activist 🌈
MAN CRUSH OF THE DAY
“As long as the world is turning and spinning, we’re gonna be dizzy and we’re gonna make mistakes.”
Mel Brooks
I was struck by the third paragraph - not "Thirty years!", but "we drove DOWN THE BLOCK". That is so quintessentially LA! :-)
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