Thank You.

There are many influences in my life that I don’t recognise now. There are some I choose not to recognise, and some I’m just unaware of. Some of my influences deserve thanks for what they made me become - but it can be hard when you aren’t on speaking terms with those who made you discover the most about yourself.

Life is what we make it, but also what others make it for us, and, confusingly, what we chose to make of what others make for us. Some people try so hard and get nowhere, through no fault of their own.

But I’m not going to whine on about the injustices of the world – plenty of other people do that.

I’m going to thank all of my influences. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly (although I believe it’s more politically correct to just thank everyone.) I won’t send them all an overly gushing card, that is also convieniently overly priced. Words will do the job just fine.

Time to thank the teachers who inspired me, the teachers who made me cry, the girls who hurt me in ways they’ll never know, and the girls who made me smile (in ways they never really knew.) To the grown ups who helped me to see life, and the grown ups who hid me from the light so I wanted it more , thank you. Thanks to the stranger who ignored me, and the stranger who is now my friend. Thank you my friends, and my ex friends, those I’ve lost contact with, and those I’m only beginning to get through to. Thanks to those who gave me a chance, and to those who didn’t give me the chance - you’ve both made me a better person in varying degrees. Thanks to the life long friend who I’ve told means so much to me, and to the person who I’ve never told it too. Thanks to the homophobes who made me bitter, and then pity them. If you led me on, thanks. If you lost me, thanks. If you lead me to the light (whatever that may be), thanks.

If you’ve taught me something I didn’t know – then I am grateful, at least on the inside.

Thank you for reading.