See what I did there? It is like the Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore except way more lame because (spoiler alert) we are not Kesha and Macklemore. Badass concert with 14,000 people at Ak Chin Pavillion for their first show on the tour. Note: we are slightly badass because our old asses partied on a Wednesday night until midnight. Hearing someone sober who actually attends 12 step meetings speak his truth live to that many people is pretty fucking rad. Also, hearing two artists gathered for peace and love despite color, or sexual orientation, or citizenship status is also extremely inspiring.

I feel sort of adrift right now, and I feel the same vibe out in the United States these days; like we are all shuffling around sort of lost. I will be 37 soon and I am pretty sure this is the scariest and most uncertain time I have ever lived through. Why do I feel like we are further from true understanding and acceptance of differences than we ever were before?

I have liked “Praying” by Kesha for months and the first few times I heard it, I cried. I didn’t even know who performed it, I just thought it was beautiful. There are two men on the periphery of my life that I think about when I hear this song. They are not welcome in my world and they have tried to destroy me emotionally on and off throughout my life. They might have succeeded, if things had turned out differently. All I can say is that the family you are born into (or that your mother marries into) is not necessarily healthy, they might even be downright evil-acting fucks. Praying for the sickest people who have hurt you the most, is the hardest thing to do. However, once you get past nearly-wretching and the bile coming up your esophagus, you really do feel a sense of peace.

I have grown-up. I don’t have the same righteous urge for retaliation. I have seen what spite and malice can do to someone at the end of their life and it isn’t pretty. The truth is, I don’t wish that on anyone. No one I have known well in my life is completely good or completely evil. I have taken note that the side you feed the most is who you become. So, for America and all the other countries struggling to find equality and an end to strife and for those men I cut out to live a healthier life for my daughter: I pray for you. I pray that your soul will change. I pray that we all add a little more positive to this world wherever we are, and stop creating needless pain.

Note: I will add video of Kesha singing “Praying” live and probably Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” in the next few days when they finally sync. Until then here is a taste of what you missed….