Big 🧀 from Wisconsin~⁣ Made a rare appearance in my hometown, Kenosha, this past week in an effort to continue some important therapy work for my brain. Since leaving when I was 12 I have only returned a few times for significant family gatherings. This has been the first time I visited for no other reason than to make myself truly known to my family, and thereby reconnect with my childhood. ⁣ ⁣ There has long been an emotional barrier between myself and my evangelical Christian parents, which has been only fortified since my coming out as queer to them a few years back. The pain that comes with that barrier has led me to erase so much of my past, detach from childhood memories, and leave me with an incapability of working through trauma.⁣ It was a long, wild, often rough week, and I was able to start those hard conversations and begin the journey of reconnection with my roots. Though painful and stressful, owning who I am to my family has immeasurably strengthened the health of our relationship, even though it requires processing hard thruths. Though I don't have the support I'd like from my parents, I can still hold them accountable to make the effort to understand me. ⁣ ⁣ Gazing out from the Kenosha waterfront I found myself in awe of the vastness and beauty of the Great Lake that accompanied me during my early years. My road ahead feels equally expansive, but I'm finding hope and contentment each step I take.⁣ ⁣ #kenosha #queer #wellness #selfcare #therapy #growth #comingout