Behind the Mask: Family Through and Through

RLSH means a lot to me, as does theRLSH.net forum and the friends I have made there and elsewhere. In times of great need I have turned to the people I have met there for help and they have always done so. Executrix and Thanatos both helped me out early on when I was still getting my feet secure, and Zetaman, Meow, and Dark Guardian have all been wonderful influences. Minuteman is always a joker and always there to listen, my brother along with Anonyman, who despite his age is very clearly one of the best reasons why what we do as RLSH works. Silver Sentinel and Golden Valkyrie have also been indispensable in their help. Silver is my surrogate father, and Valkyrie my best friend-who-is-a-girl.


If I had to list all of the people who have influenced me so thoroughly in this wild fantasy of comic books sprung to life, this entry would be about 300 names long. I know others may not consider this of me, but I very much consider each and every member of our community part of my family. We all have such potential we can contribute, and it has lifted me up in the dark times I have had in the last year.


I have my own issues, and it has taken a lot for me to work through them. I still am. Each member of this family, my family, has helped in so many unique ways to my life, and so I just wanted to take a moment and thank each and every one of you, whether or not you may ever read this.


You have taught me to love, to laugh, to cry and be okay about it, to stand strong, to hold on, to never give up hope. My family has taught me to be kind, try to understand, be open, and be informed, to listen, to speak, to defend, and to rest. There is so much that you, my family, have given me. Whenever I need to find a comfortable place in the world full of the finest people I know I don the mask and come to you.


I know we fight. I know there are many who would deny my claim to kinship with me. I know that we say and do horrible things to each other, sometimes for no purpose, sometimes for a misguided purpose, and sometimes with a very hard purpose. But I accept that. All families have their own problems, and ours is no different. I forgive you, and I know I can be harsh and domineering and even pretentious sometimes, but I hope that you can find it in you to give the same forgiveness to me.


Because at the end of the day, we are still family. Love which can truly unite, and if we all just could take a second, recognize that, and try for it, I think we can do even greater things.


My brothers, my sisters, my aunts and uncles, all my family, I love you. Truly. As cheesy and as pathetic as that may be, I do mean it. Because without you there would not only not be a Mr. Jack.


There would not be me.


~~~~~~~


Vita, amor et veritas. 

Stay frosty, my friends.