Dear Aunt Susan,

I wanted the world to know how you chose to love me and be my aunt for 9 years. There is no color barrier with you. There is no alternative motive with you. I love you with all my heart. You give me hope, peace, and belief in my future.

Family does not need to be blood relatives. You love me because I don’t know, but I don’t question your authenticity. You understand me mentally, personally, and academically.

I pray you look in the mirror and know you are changing lives. You speak for the marginalized, and you’re an advocate for the community. You support me as your trans nephew when people have let me go. You accept me as a gay man, and I can’t wait for the day you walk me down the aisle. I can’t wait to graduate as a pastor and see you in the rows at graduation.

You’ve raised an amazing son with a heart of gold. A young man carrying your soul and spirit. I love sending you chain texts. Because I don’t want you to forget that I love you for one day. I pray for you often for joy, happiness, and peace. You’ve given me an uncle and an amazing cousin.

You’ve impacted me so much that my first daughter will be named after you. Your impact and legacy will live beyond your years. Now you are a little cooky, funny, random, and bizarre. But this is what makes you amazing. You work within the LGBTQI+ mental health community, changing lives individually. Making people feel heard and loved. Thank-you!!!

I’m in tears writing this because I can’t accurately say the impact you’ve had on my life and the help in spirit and soul you have had. When people who said they loved me abandoned me, you chose to love me and said you’d do it again.

This is our 9-year anniversary, and I’m just in awe! Thank you for being the human that you are. You may not profess to be a Christian, but you’re more of a Christian than those who profess to be.

I’m a pain, and you love me. I’m stubborn, and you love me. You saw my heart when I had given up. You sound a lot like Jesus, my savior. Please be kind, gentle, loving , and self-validating as the person you are. You’re amazing. You’re outstanding. You’re mind-blowingly funny. You’re a jewel to the world!

Blessings and peace be unto you,

Nephew Xih-Zih.