Attractor Factor with Kathy

During the initial part of our Gay Into Straight America journey on a swing through eastern Washington, we visited Soap Lake, WA to meet a documentary film-maker, who found our card while at a conference in Vancouver, BC, and contacted us.  Kathy said she was interested in making a documentary film about our journey…at her expense.  We told her we already have a film-maker, Nan Macy, but that we would like to meet her and talk. 

 

We met at a local restaurant in Soap Lake.  As we were driving into this small town of some 1200 residents, Roby said to Dotti, “I wonder if she is the only lesbian in town?”  When we met, we told her that we were surprised at the smallness of the town, and shared with her what Roby had said.  She replied, “I’m probably the only lesbian in town who’s not out!”  We were surprised by this, because due to her excitement about our project and her offer, we had assumed she was living her authentic self.   Great lesson and reminder.  Don't make assumptions.  We had a nice conversation over lunch, and it became very clear that she was ready to live her truth, but she felt afraid.  During the course of the conversation, we shared with her why we feel it’s so important to be living our truth.  She cried, and was obviously very touched and moved by what we had to say, and by our stories.  Dotti shared with her that the purpose of this journey is creating authentic connections, and being out there living our truth, and that this type of energy would be necessary for people working on the documentary, since that is the essence of our GISA project.  Dotti made it clear that she wasn’t telling her she needed to come out of her closet if she didn’t want to, but offered encouragement and support as she said, “We’re opening up a door for you to walk through, if you want to do so.”  Dotti then gave her a GISA wrist band, and said, “Please understand the significance of wearing this band, and the responsibility that comes with it.  We are about living our truth and letting people know us, and making authentic connections with people and dissolving differences that separate us.  We would like to encourage you to do the same as you wear this band.”  She put the band on and said, “I have a meeting with my boss after lunch, and I’m wearing the band into the meeting.”  We encouraged her on her journey, and felt confident that she meant what she said.  It was so clear to us that she was ready to be living her authentic self.  We got an email from her the next day, and she said her boss asked about the band, and she explained what it represented, and she then said, “I’m gay.”  Her boss thanked her for her honesty and responded to her in a very supportive manner.

 

We immediately understood that whether or not Kathy joins us and Nan in working on the film, that meeting was a divine appointment, helping another person find their way to freedom and authenticity.  That is what this journey is all about!  Making authentic connections…dissolving differences that separate us to create a more loving world.  It isn't only "others" in society that are "wrestling" with their understanding of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons...it is often our own community of GLBT people who "wrestle" as well. 

 

Once again, the attractor factor created a small miracle on that day in Soap Lake, WA.