All I could think about was acceptance while driving home from a Friendsgiving weekend in Massachusetts. In the passenger seat next to me, Isobel dozed with her head pressed up against the glass. She’d made a make-shift pillow with my sweatshirt, so I’d put on a podcast.
Through the speakers, I’d listened as Megan Falley talked about her relationship with famed poet, Andrea Gibson, who died of ovarian cancer in July. Andrea’s work pumped acceptance through the LGBTQ community. They spoke about mental health, social justice, and mortality in ways that felt approachable. I honestly don’t know what made me put on that podcast... I just saw Andrea’s name and clicked.
I’m so glad I did.
Listening made me think of the same thing as when I first came across their work in college: the time I’d had my heart broken in middle school while on a field trip.
Keep reading:
onward.