The past few weeks have been rewarding. Beautiful people have surrounded me and this always energizes the spirit. Coincidentally, two couples from Utah made their way to our home recently.  The two sets of visitors could not have been more different. The first was a gay couple with an inclination for leather and fine living; the second, two devout Mormons who have been married over fifty years, my in-laws. The two visits were so close in proximity that we literally dropped one pair off at the airport while picking up the other.

Let’s focus on the first couple, which names I’ve changed to protect their public personas. Carlos and David have been together seven years, they both grew up Mormons. One of them was married to a woman and has adult children; the other has never been married or had children. One of them is a well-known actor and playwright, the other, a businessman. Our interactions with them were full of laughter. We ate, drank, sunbathed (clothing optional beach) and got to see more of each other than we expected, literally, more.

My partner and I are similarly balanced. However, the two artistic brains dominated many of the conversations. From my end, it was nice to engage in discussions about theater, writing, and artistic honesty (I have been isolated in my professional and creative life for some time now). These chats reminded me of the first years of grad school, when our house was filled with literature students (my world), and business people (my partner’s). The get-togethers at our Austin home usually started around seven on a Saturday night and would often end with brunch on Sunday morning. Name a topic and we covered it. Name a beer or a wine, we tried it. All in the quest for finding equilibrium between the worlds that amicably collided in that space. Such was life, and it was good.

The first visitors brought back those days, the realization that creative minds work best when purposes are bounced off of each other. But it went beyond this. It went to the place where people realize that cooperation can bring about beautiful things. With this couple, we were able to discuss, debate and share opinions in a respectful manner and I never got a sense that anyone was eager to prove the other wrong. Granted, the four of us share many opinions. Politically and intellectually, we lean in the same direction.  In addition, each us is a gay ex-Mormon. At the end of their visit, I felt I had grown as an individual. The universe sent them at the precise moment I needed them, and for that I’m very grateful.

Now, if I’m willing to believe there’s a universal balance and that you always have to pay attention to the way energy is moving around you, I have to consider the second visit too. Sadly, as much love I have in my heart for the couple that created the beautiful person with whom I share my life, their energy was completely marred by the feelings that my new novel awakes in them, even though they have not read a single page. The members of the family were encouraged to steer clear of my latest work by a grandchild who had read the prologue and chapter one. This person summarized it to the group by saying: “Miguel’s new novel is evil.”

Yes, as some of you already know, The Marién Revelation will not be well digested among Mormons or radical Christians. Even moderate literalists will have a hard time with it. But to classify it as evil is quite a stretch. I mean, come on!

This blog is not about my work however. It’s about accepting the energy around you and learning what to do with it. Although the relationship with my in-laws has not changed in the twelve years their son and I have shared our lives together, this time things were different. Their visits had always been incredibly joyful to me. We had always found a way to interact by playing board games, cards, or any activity that doesn’t require intellectual or deep discussions. Yes, until now, negotiating our relationship had been quite easy. During this visit we followed the same let’s-keep-it-light protocol, however, the elephant in the room was omnipresent, heavy, sitting atop our interactions like a bomb waiting to explode, almost asphyxiating us. Thank God nothing happened. We managed to move from one game to the next, from breakfast to dinner, with the same courtesy as before. Our toughest discussion was based on the Tiger Woods saga.

I’m still thankful for their visit. I have to give them credit for the immense love they feel for their son and which propels them to spend a few days in our home every year. From their part, I know they have negotiated the debate between their religious beliefs and our life, and I can appreciate and be thankful for their investment. At the end of the day, however, I know they wish their son weren’t gay as much as we wish they weren’t Mormon.

So, what has the universe taught me with these experiences? For every action there’s a reaction, for every moment of easy joy there will be another that may challenge us and offer a different perspective. That is my lesson. My in-law’s visit may not have been as fun and as inspiring as Carlos and David’s but I have chosen to appreciate the beauty in their effort. They will never read my book, and they will never engage in bohemian, intellectual conversation with me. But they will be here despite their religion and despite my novel. They will be here showing me they love their son. What a great example of unconditional love!