In a poignant and beautiful video message posted this week on aNoteToMyKid.com, a young lady by the name of Ashley Richards
When Ashley was 11 years old in Dallas, Tex., her dad came out to her as a gay man. He had just ended a very significant
Ashley's parents divorced; however, they remained close friends over the years, and to this day, Ashley's gay dad and his partner, and Ashley's mom and her husband, continue to make happy memories together as very close and loving friends.
Through it all, Ashley learned how to stand up for what she believes in and to fiercely protect the people that she loves. In the video Ashley tells her parents, "You and Dad have both taught me to look once, or twice, or maybe even three times before judging a person or a situation, and because of that, I have some pretty amazing people in my life right now. And I've experienced some pretty amazing things, because I'm not afraid of what other people might think or say; I'm just me, and you've both taught me not to make excuses or apologies for that."
Ashley continues: "The amount of love and acceptance and fun and laughter in our little family is pretty unbelievable. I know that they say that you can't chose your family, but even if I could, I wouldn't change a thing. I love you guys."
The moral of Ashley's story: "If you're worried about coming out, or about being honest about who you are, trust the people that you love, because it might just be the best decision that you've ever made."
