Advice for teen Scribbles.

I have given myself so much advice on this blog already, within the past ten months. “Take the time to read your manuscripts,” “don’t tell anyone with your last name that you’re queer,” or “Don’t Trust Thomas from your Bible study group” all come to mind. And while those are things I would definitely tell young Scribbles, but these are not as important.

I know young Scribbles pretty well. Why? Because I was them/him. Back then, Scribbles was slowly coming into himself as a creator, as a nerd, and as someone who thought they were a professing Christian who could juggle their queer feelings and their faith.

But, Scribbles at that time was struggling with something even deeper. I am going to write this out as if I am talking straight to them.

So, teenage Scribbles. Listen up.

In these next few years, you’re going to find out some things. Lots of things. Your friends that you are spending your time with from that bible study, they’re not as invested in you as you are in them. They do not respect you, and you can’t rely on dad to stand up for you.

Don’t tell them you’re any flavor of queer. I know you want to tell them, because you’re their family and they might be accepting. But you know. You know they won’t. You’ll just get put right back in the closet and get reprimanded to not talk about it with your young “impressionable” sisters. And you know what, they’re going to ask you too. Don’t say a goddamn word to them.

You’re going to fall in love with someone close to you. You’re probably already in love with them. Don’t hide from it. They become one of the most important people in your life, and you are going to spend a lot of tOne of them tells on yime talking to them.

Jordan Micheal Way Nash Loper will be your rock. Treat them with the respect they deserve. Because they will stand by you in everything.

Honestly… the most important advice I have is to be as honest with yourself as you can be. Honest with yourself, honest with others. Do not pretend to be something you aren’t. It hurts. It hurts a lot. You are your own person now, even though you’re still so young. Don’t let any inner turmoil or outer discouragement stop you from finding out just who you are. You’re going to love yourself one day, and you’re going to find people who love you even more than you possibly could imagine.

It really does get better eventually. But you’re a tough cookie. Just keep that smile on your face and hold your head up high. Because you’re going to do amazing things in the next ten or so years. Honestly, teen Scribbles, I don’t know how old you’re supposed to be here.