Thanks, , Kay and everyone!

[Guest guest]

, Kay and Everyone else who has welcomed me back:

Thank you!

You have taught me so much. Our divergent yet parallel journeys have

taught me a great deal about patience, self-acceptance and

perseverance. At the core, what we all share is courage to face our

scariest feelings that we are not worthy of love. We've spent so

long giving, giving and giving love, but never really taking it in

and embracing it in our core beings. Taking a true, deep nourishing

drink from that goblet of love, be it from family, friends, God, and

I believe, them most scary source of love, oneself, is overwhelming

yet so crucial to what we're all doing here.

Like a wise man once said to me, " It's not about the food. It's

never about the food. "

Francisco

>

> > Hello everyone:

> >

> > It's me Francisco. For those of you who don't know me, I had open

> > RNY at Kaiser Richmond on June 3, 2003. As a result, I lost 153

lbs,

> > and my life has been forever transformed.

> >

> > Through this journey, I have parted ways with several friends, but

> > the new ones in my life have more than made up for the loss. I

also

> > took some time away from this group over a controversy regarding

my

> > sexual orientation. Let me just put it out there. I'm a gay man,

> > and I attempt to live my life openly and honestly. Honesty with

> > myself and others is a KEY aspect of my recovery from morbid

> > obesity. As such, I talk about dating and love in terms that are

> > relevant to me; I don't switch genders referring to " she/her "

when I

> > mean " he/him. " I have always discussed these relationship issues

> > with respectful and sensitive language. I have deep respect for

all

> > who belong to this group. I would hope that that same respect

would

> > be returned to me. If not, I have no place here.

> >

> > I also belong to a church that ministers to primarily gay,

lesbian,

> > bisexual, and transgendered people, but also some straight people

> > too. This beloved community influences me in a deeply spiritual

> > way. I have found a spiritual home there where I am loved,

accepted

> > for who I am, and soulfully nourished by a good-hearted people who

> > work for social justice. We provide meals for the homeless, we

> > partner with schools to provide materials for kids who don't

always

> > have enough, we do a shower project for the homeless so that they

can

> > bathe in a safe environment, get fresh clothing and toiletries,

and

> > have access to social services. This Christmas, my church is

> > partnering with the Homeless Children's Network to provide gifts

to

> > kids who have been sheltered from abusive situations. The

gratitude

> > we experience and the connection we feel to God has called us to

> > action to make positive changes, however grand or slight, to make

the

> > world a better place, even if it just one person at a time. So

from

> > time to time, I will mention God, the Divine or a Higher Power.

> > However, I am respectful of all paths to spirituality, whatever

they

> > be, even if it is no belief in a higher power at all.

> >

> > There is so much loss and sorrow that surrounds this process, but

the

> > joy I have experienced has far outweighed the sadness. I have

> > experience joy and beauty that I never knew existed. My soul

used to

> > have this constant yearning, a deep hunger. Food could never fill

> > that void the way love has. The deepest desire of my heart, my

most

> > passionate prayer was to have this burden of morbid obesity

removed

> > from me. God heard my cries of desperation and took away my

pain.

> > For that gift, I will be eternally grateful.

> >

> > So I find myself, once again reflecting on my life, and I feel the

> > need to come home to a place that was so instrumental to my

ongoing

> > success. I hope that you all are well. And I hope that I can

feel

> > safe here once again.

> >

> > Francisco

>

[Guest guest]

, Kay and Everyone else who has welcomed me back:

Thank you!

You have taught me so much. Our divergent yet parallel journeys have

taught me a great deal about patience, self-acceptance and

perseverance. At the core, what we all share is courage to face our

scariest feelings that we are not worthy of love. We've spent so

long giving, giving and giving love, but never really taking it in

and embracing it in our core beings. Taking a true, deep nourishing

drink from that goblet of love, be it from family, friends, God, and

I believe, them most scary source of love, oneself, is overwhelming

yet so crucial to what we're all doing here.

Like a wise man once said to me, " It's not about the food. It's

never about the food. "

Francisco

>

> > Hello everyone:

> >

> > It's me Francisco. For those of you who don't know me, I had open

> > RNY at Kaiser Richmond on June 3, 2003. As a result, I lost 153

lbs,

> > and my life has been forever transformed.

> >

> > Through this journey, I have parted ways with several friends, but

> > the new ones in my life have more than made up for the loss. I

also

> > took some time away from this group over a controversy regarding

my

> > sexual orientation. Let me just put it out there. I'm a gay man,

> > and I attempt to live my life openly and honestly. Honesty with

> > myself and others is a KEY aspect of my recovery from morbid

> > obesity. As such, I talk about dating and love in terms that are

> > relevant to me; I don't switch genders referring to " she/her "

when I

> > mean " he/him. " I have always discussed these relationship issues

> > with respectful and sensitive language. I have deep respect for

all

> > who belong to this group. I would hope that that same respect

would

> > be returned to me. If not, I have no place here.

> >

> > I also belong to a church that ministers to primarily gay,

lesbian,

> > bisexual, and transgendered people, but also some straight people

> > too. This beloved community influences me in a deeply spiritual

> > way. I have found a spiritual home there where I am loved,

accepted

> > for who I am, and soulfully nourished by a good-hearted people who

> > work for social justice. We provide meals for the homeless, we

> > partner with schools to provide materials for kids who don't

always

> > have enough, we do a shower project for the homeless so that they

can

> > bathe in a safe environment, get fresh clothing and toiletries,

and

> > have access to social services. This Christmas, my church is

> > partnering with the Homeless Children's Network to provide gifts

to

> > kids who have been sheltered from abusive situations. The

gratitude

> > we experience and the connection we feel to God has called us to

> > action to make positive changes, however grand or slight, to make

the

> > world a better place, even if it just one person at a time. So

from

> > time to time, I will mention God, the Divine or a Higher Power.

> > However, I am respectful of all paths to spirituality, whatever

they

> > be, even if it is no belief in a higher power at all.

> >

> > There is so much loss and sorrow that surrounds this process, but

the

> > joy I have experienced has far outweighed the sadness. I have

> > experience joy and beauty that I never knew existed. My soul

used to

> > have this constant yearning, a deep hunger. Food could never fill

> > that void the way love has. The deepest desire of my heart, my

most

> > passionate prayer was to have this burden of morbid obesity

removed

> > from me. God heard my cries of desperation and took away my

pain.

> > For that gift, I will be eternally grateful.

> >

> > So I find myself, once again reflecting on my life, and I feel the

> > need to come home to a place that was so instrumental to my

ongoing

> > success. I hope that you all are well. And I hope that I can

feel

> > safe here once again.

> >

> > Francisco

>