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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: November 5th, 2023

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  • The first 35 years of my life I was surrounded by nothing but Midwestern American conservatives, with splashes of evangelical Christians in the mix. I was raised that we should love our neighbors, give to the poor and needy, work hard, and or needs would be met. When I was no longer a child the clarifications started to creep in. I should love and help others, but only if they really deserved it. Who deserved it had a long list of unspoken qualifiers. If my needs weren’t being met, I must not be working hard enough, even if that meant working 2 jobs and my health suffering for it.

    In my 30s I had the opportunity to meet people outside my bubble, and what do you know - I started recognizing the hypocrisy I was raised with and living, and finally started to grow as a person.


  • Huh. I raised my children to treat people the way they want to be treated and to share their toys with others. As teens and adults they’ve tended to cultivate friend groups of supportive, welcoming people. I consider them extended family, and if someone has a need we should be available to help.

    The people they’re skeptical of are the “I’ve got mine, fuck you” types.