Reminders from the Strangest Places

I’m a bit bleary eyed today, because I stayed up to watch last nights 67th Annual Tony Awards. My main reason for watching is that my brother-in-law’s (Hal Luftig) Broadway musical, Kinky Boots, was up for many nominations and I wanted to support him and the other nominees … at least from afar.
I love listening to all the acceptance speeches where they thank their agent, their mentors, and their supporting families. It’s nice to see these actors share their moment with those who committed time into their lives. It’s nice to see the humanity in it all.
But I can’t get Billy Porter’s acceptance speech out of my mind. Here it is in its entirety:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tuke66DxZ0]
Did you catch it?
“To my mother, Clorinda Jean Johnson Porter Ford … You are the personification of true Christianity. Your willingness to embrace that which you do not understand with unconditional love is a template the world could benefit from employing.  Your courage gives me life and I love you.”
How do we heal relationships? By doing just that. Matthew 22:36-40 says:
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
There can be conversations later to address differences if need be, but first there needs to be love. We aren’t to love because it feels right … we’re to love because we’re told it is right.
Oh, and Hal and Kinky Boots won the Tony for Best Musical.  I cried and my husband whooped it up when Hal accepted the award. We’re so very proud of his accomplishments  …and we love completely.