Honoring

Last week I wrote about my dear friend, so I thought I'd update you all. She has since returned to work and is doing well. Which makes me very happy. Thanks to all of you that kept her in your thoughts.
This last summer Annie and I were lucky enough to be able to travel to Boston. It was absolutely incredible. It taught us to be better about communication, and to help each other with the things we struggle with. I have to say that the Lyft driver that was completely honest with us about the area we were staying in really was an eye opener. I've lived in the relatively safe cocoon of Southern Utah my entire life. Before this trip, I had only ever traveled with my family. I never saw the dangerous and dirty areas of the places we visited. That, or I was naive and blind to the struggles. I've been lucky to be where I am.
While in Boston, we did our best to navigate public transportation. We had the incredible opportunity to take a walking tour of many historic sites. We stumbled into Kings Chapel at the moment they were going to start the Bell & Bones tour. We got to venture into the 18th century Crypt that lies beneath. As well as to the very top of the chapel to see the beautiful 1816 Revere bell. The largest and "sweetest sounding" bell Paul Revere's foundry ever made. We visited Fenway Park, and watched probably the most boring baseball game I've ever seen. We visited the Boston Tea Party ships and museum. We tasted the teas that the colonies never got the chance to try. We went where everybody knows your name...Cheers.  We tried new foods, Annie enjoyed a cold Sam Adams in front of a cold Sam Adams. I don't like beer, but the experience was fun. We were able to go on a whale watching tour. It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. It is one thing I can't wait to be able to do again.

 Without even planning it, we ended up in Boston the very weekend of the city's Pride event.  Going to Utah's Pride Festival is always one of our favorite trips of the year but last year the Utah Pride event ended up being to close to our Boston trip to be able to attend. So it was a pleasant surprise to be able to be there for Boston Pride. The 2019 Pride season happened to be the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. While watching the parade we were sobered and humbled by the sight of one specific entry.

This is why I chose to write about this trip. We have to always remember to honor where we came from. Who fought tooth and nail for the abilities we have. For me it is remembering to honor the people that were at the riots. Honoring Edie Windsor who had to fight The Defense of Marriage act in order to claim what was left to her by her late Wife without having to pay an estate tax. Its honoring Jim Obergefell who took on the fight for same sex marriage after marrying his husband in Maryland and finding out their marriage would not be recognized in their home state of Ohio. Eventually winning all of us the freedom to marry.  For me it is also honoring my family that was called upon to make new settlements in southern Utah. Its remembering and honoring the lives of the women who gave me my name.
The choices I make in my life are of course my own. No person other than myself can own the mistakes I've made. I personally don't view them as mistakes per say, they are simply missteps on my journey. (Now if you google the definition of misstep you'll get mistake. However, misstep lessens the blow of the word mistake. So don't call me on the definition.)
Going forward on my journey, I'm choosing to find my own way to honor those that paved the way for me. I hope you'll take the time to learn from the people that are still around and find your special way to honor them and the ones we've lost to time.