Day by day, week by week, we are becoming more free

Read about Micah Porter, a championship-winning high school track coach , who recently came out to his team. Micah has passed my dad's 'pedigree test'

This is an inspiring story from Outsports.com:

Porter called his team together before practice a week ago and told them he had some news. He let them know that an article about him would be coming out this week, and that the article discussed him being gay and would talk about his partner, Brandan.

The news was met with the same silence that stared back at him when he came out to his wife four years earlier.

After a few seconds, one of the team leaders - who Porter says could end the season as a conference champion - stood up, shook his hand, told him it didn't matter to him, and asked what that day's practice had in store for them. The rest of the team laced up their shoes and followed suit.

Read the full story here.

My dad, an Illinois state championship winning track coach from another era, really liked this story, especially because Micah had to stand up to his fears and ultimately accept and be proud of himself.

It takes a special breed of coach to produce championship-winning track athletes: the best ones are part coach and part psychologist.  You need to be able to motivate others to go beyond their perceived physical and mental comfort zones.  So my dad and I were glad to see that Micah has gone beyond his, and is willing to live his life with honesty, verve, and love. He is a true champion.

A look at the future by looking a few years back...

In 2008, this TV drama about some high school kids,"Física O Química," debuted on Spanish TV,  and showed two openly gay characters (Fer and David) who fall in love with each other. Like any other high school couple, they go through the highs and lows of relationships, learning how to date.  For me, this is what the future will look like in 10-15 years, when young gay people are accepted for themselves -- a little different but equal.  A time when shame and self-judgement about being gay are virtually eliminated. 

Who wouldn't wanted to have a relationship like Fer and David's when they were in high school?  I would have. 

Love is in the air