Catnip Corner 4/4/26
Dear LGBTQIA+ Family,
Happy Spring everyone! It can be difficult to remember to celebrate the seasons when the world is so chaotic, but the flowers and butterflies are a reminder that life finds a way and we have to keep going, even in the face of…. well… this mess. It will be interesting to see what history calls it. It is hard to imagine strong enough wording for it.
I was discussing with a friend the other day what “life more abundant” really looks like. He was defaulting to wealth, which is the yardstick that capitalism uses, but I do not think that is true. I mean, yes, we obviously have basic needs to be met, but the richest man in the world uses ketamine to combat depression. I think it is a combination of connection and meaning.
Studies have shown that social ties are a reliable predictor of health and longevity, even more so than factors like smoking or diet. Not just the number of ties, but their quality. It can be easy in this crazy world to let those ties slip away. This can be even more crucial for those of us in the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of us have lost family members, friends and/or faith communities because we are living genuinely and openly. Others are still hiding things from them, which can result in some distance. This is where the chosen family comes in. It can be a challenge to put ourselves out there to find our people, especially if we tend more towards introversion. It goes a long way towards moving life into the realm of abundance.
Meaning is the other component. I think that wanting our lives to have meaning is a fundamental part of being human. We each need to find something that stirs our passions and gives us drive. The beautiful thing about that is that there is no end of ways to make a difference and a contribution in this world and we need them all. We each get to choose the one that fits us. Never let anyone tell you that your contribution is not the right thing or not important.
In the interests of making community connections, I have been thinking of maybe creating a groupme where we can all talk, share, and encourage each other. What do you all think about that?
