Thanks, guys - I appreciate your kind words. I was a single-issue voter back then and a very ignorant voter about so much more. I've mentioned before that I credit many of your voices with helping me see our world from another perspective; something I wasn't interested in doing prior to your prompts. It played such a large role in moving me forward. There's another aspect of my transformation that I need to mention and it's something I've touched on only briefly here previously. Through all of the changes I went through politically, I was also going through a time of serious reflection about my faith life: what did I still believe of the Christianity that was instilled in me from the beginning because it had been a driving force and something I relied on for guidance.
Most people who have gone through a similar experience refer to it as a deconstruction of one's faith. As I had done with my political views, I began to dismantle my views of Christianity brick by brick until I wasn't sure what I was looking at anymore. It's ongoing. I still had faith in a higher power but it didn't align with the tenets of Christianity—it was a higher power but without a name other than God. I began to ask God to open my eyes to help me see the struggles of those on the margins and see them as my equals in this life. I developed a heart for them in a way the church never led me to previously. It had the effect of further moving me away from conservatism and toward those in our society who were actually trying to help them: those on the left.
Writing in my blog (it's linked in my profile) has been beneficial as well because it forces me to more fully analyze my beliefs about whatever it is I'm writing about. That exercise played an important part in my change as well. I was too content in my beliefs until you all challenged them and until I challenged them again through my writings.
It was a lot that went into my transformation but I can tell you that it all boiled down to self-reflection and allowing myself to admit where I'd been wrong about so much. It was humbling and I lost family and friends along the way because I changed, but I've gained friends as well.
These days, I think more and more about what lies beyond this life. It's unsettling because where I once believed I had all of this figured out, I'm no longer that person and it's starting to get late in the game for this. I feel sorta like one of the Voyager spacecraft hurtling through space no longer tethered to this world and unsure of what lies ahead. I'll admit that It's somewhat frightening to me.
Kevin g
