The Twelfth Step

“How would your life be different if you stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day you look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.” (Steve Maroboli)

I was invited to a couple’s 25th anniversary celebration recently where the entertainment at dusk was a one-man drag show. When the male performer took the small stage in bright red stilettos, a scarlet sleek dress, and an extremely large black wig, and immediately began singing several Macy Gray songs while strutting around the crowd, I rolled my eyes and said aloud “I don’t get it.” Indeed this is truly how I’ve always felt about this form of performing, never quite understanding the fascination or appeal of men dressing up as women and either lip-syncing or singing to various songs on a stage in front of a crowd. But when my partner looked over at me as I continued to verbally express my disapproval of drag, he said something that totally shifted my perspective. “What about your love of pursuing anything that deals with superheroes? Don’t you think there are probably many who won’t get that as well?” He was right, there have been many who haven’t understood my allure to everything superhero related, yet they never judged me negatively. Thus, why should it be any different for me when it comes to the art of drag? While it may not be something I’m into, I can clearly see how many others are. This is precisely why I’ve decided to keep an open mind the next time I find myself at a drag show, as only then will I be able to see the good and have respect for a form of entertainment that I know so many love.

I pray to keep an open mind and refrain from judging what others are into, and to always see the good in everything, even the ones I may not understand.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

“Happiness, true happiness, is an inner quality. It is a state of mind…If you have everything the world can give – pleasure, possessions, power – but lack peace of mind, you can never be happy.” (Dada Vaswani)

I grew up in a family that had plenty of money and never went without anything. I travelled to tons of nice places, I went on many vacations, I ate out at loads of lavish restaurants, I received many expensive gifts and gadgets, and I grew to believe that happiness only came in the form of things like these. As I got older and ventured out on my own, my sole desire was to pursue even more of them, Soon I added alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sex, and control over others to the mix, believing each would also bring me great happiness. But in the long run none ever did. I should have known they wouldn’t though, because I never did see my family have any peace of mind growing up, even in all our abundance. Thankfully, I eventually went through a period where I lost most of everything I sought so hard after, and in the process, I discovered something my family never did, true happiness. It was always there, except I kept looking for it in the wrong places, mainly outside of me. I’m quite grateful I can say now that I fully understand why true happiness really only comes from an inner quality, and never an external one.

I pray I may discover the true happiness that has always resided within me and become open to letting go of all the external things I’m holding onto that are preventing me from seeing it.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson