Into the Weekend 06.27.25

With a month of Pride festivities winding down and culminating with the Pride Parade on Sunday, I find myself asking what I am proud of. For starters - and to state the obvious, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve never been even slightly tempted to use lard in a pie crust. Or in anything else. In fact, I’m proud that I make my own pie crust.

I’m proud that I keep myself reasonably fit even while enjoying anything deep fried that comes my way. I’m proud that I’ve survived Chicago winters for all these years without slipping on the ice and breaking (all of my) bones.

I’m proud of the incredible real estate team I’ve built over 30+ years and the thousands of clients we’ve helped along the way. I’m proud that I was able to keep track of my latest pair of Airpods for 3 months. I’m proud that I can make a playlist on Apple Music without asking my kids for help. 

And I’m certainly proud that I can almost fall asleep without medication. Great stuff!

As wonderful as these all are, I’m most proud of the life I’ve built. I remember going to my first parade when I was 20 years old, standing in the back with a large hat, oversized sunglasses, and a bandana on my face so no one would recognize me.

With no guidance or role models - and with the constant lingering fear that I would be rejected and abandoned by my family and friends, I somehow confronted the pain as a kid - alone, and found my way to my true self as a young adult. Some kids don’t make it.

Since then, I have found the love of my life, gotten married, created a family, and lived, worked, and thrived as an out gay man.

But this did not come easy - and certainly with all forces stacked against me. In the face of hatred, discrimination, and complete ignorance, we had to fight to change laws and attitudes just to be treated merely as full citizens in this country - simply the right “to be.” As my community is now scapegoated, demonized, and outwardly ostracized by the current government, these hard-fought rights are now being actively stripped away. And, frankly, I’m really scared. The lessons of history are being ignored.

So, enjoy the parade, and remember that all of us are just trying to be - nothing more, nothing less.

If you do that, I’ll try to get a good night's sleep. 

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Brad

P.S. I once told a story about the strides of the community from a unique angle. Check it out, if you like.