"The Coffee Teen" is indebted to many people for being able to feel confident and respect in what I do with not only the New Edinburgh News, but with many other aspects of life as well. I have never felt this happy in years and the fact I am gay, vegetarian, coffee-teen journalist, loyal friend/ nice guy, political enthusiast, and most importantly, an extremely heart centered person have all made me feel really good and happy about myself.
With all the positive affirmation of myself comes a long section on who I need to thank/ am indebted to for the life I now have today. Very first, I must mention the kind editor of the New Edinburgh News, Cindy Parkanyi. She is a woman who gave me the confidence and competency to write for the New Edinburgh. Her strong honesty is commendable and despite not having seen her in years, she is a wonderful woman who really makes the New Edinburgh News the wonderful paper many people like to read. Cindy encourages me to grow as a writer and recommends ways to make my articles wonderful. I am indebted to Cindy and her encouragement.
I, of course, am also indebted to Lenore Dixon! I would write more on her, but we all know how I feel about this wonderfully magnificent woman in Belleville, Ontario. There are many more people I could write on here, for example, my Guidance Counsellor Mrs. Miller and my friends at The Park School of Buffalo.
I would love to keep writing, but I am concerned about the length of this proclamation and do not want to bore anyone. This said, I do have one more person I have to write!
Thanks to Help Lesotho, I have been able to posses a wonderful friendship with a girl in Lesotho. Her name is Matsiba Teke and I have known her for four years now. She is 18 years old and I think about her so much and am so glad we are friends/ pen pals. It is mostly because of her that I am so dearly interested in Lesotho and aspire to volunteer in the country soon. I love her. Our friendship has not only developed my self-esteem, but my words are impacting her, as in my personal vibes are travelling all the way to Lesotho! She is really becoming confident and I feel whenever I am strong and confident, she is able to mimic something similar for her life. I admire that. I love Matsiba and am so proud we are both achieving and now retaining a positive self-esteem. Matsiba is a wonderful friend and she is basically the centre point for why I like being a heart-centered individual.
I am proud that I am a heart-centered individual. I know that my friendship with Matsiba and many other people have largely helped by the fact I am open with how I feel. My heart has allowed my soul to be a part of the wider world and has also allowed me to become the open homosexual that I am today. I, in all sincerity, feel that all the people mentioned tonight and in my previous blog posts do not even begin to list off the people I am thankful that my life is what it is. I know there are people I want to mention on this post but I know it would not be appropriate at this time in my life.
There are many things I know need to be done in this world and I know my challenges are still ahead for me. If I have the confidence to be "The Coffee Teen" and know that my friend in Lesotho is becoming a strong woman, then I must retain a positive self-esteem, knowing that I am of great importance to people in this world.
I hope this post was not too self-centered/egotistical. I just wanted to thank the world for allowing me to be who I am today. I love who I am.
Love,
William (Rethabile)
Photo Credit: Bronwyn Fairchild-Taylor
Date: March 7, 2009
Location: Spot Coffee in Elmwood Village (Buffalo, New York)
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