Blue attends World AIDS Day service

[blue]

Yesterday, Dec. 1, I attended a World AIDS Day church service. It was warm and friendly and sadly not larger in attendance. I'm not sure what I was expecting. It was very low key. People were in business casual clothes. A few teens were in cool clothes appropriate to an arts school. OK, there was one old man in a t-shirt reading "Princess." Friends hugged and teased each other and caught up on news. A mother was supporting her kids. A baby cried. Gay men and lesbian women held hands or had arms around each other every now and then. Yes, I'm sure there were straight men and women there too.

In short, aside from same-sex couples who were expressing their affection, and the "Princess" t-shirt, it could've been my home church, only there would've been a little more hugging afterward. But since this was an ecumenical service rather than within a single congregation, I suppose it makes sense that the hugging was limited.

I was a little nervous and aggravated at myself for being nervous at all. This was, after all, no different than any other visit to a new gathering or meeting lots of new people. I shouldn't be any more nervous than I would get then, and truthfully, I'm not sure I was any more nervous than that. But I was more aware of it, of the fact that there I was, shaking hands, meeting people, occasionally getting a warm hug, and telling a few newly-met strangers that I was just starting to come out. About half the time, during the service and the get-together afterward, I was relaxed and comfortable. Here were people just as ordinary and everyday as me.

I met some great people and I will be visiting places to see how I might help. I can't do a lot or do things often, but I will find a way to do something.