{"id":1843,"date":"2013-03-31T08:58:16","date_gmt":"2013-03-31T14:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wrestlingwithyourself\/?p=1843"},"modified":"2013-03-31T08:58:16","modified_gmt":"2013-03-31T14:58:16","slug":"my-friend-harvey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wrestlingwithyourself\/2013\/03\/my-friend-harvey\/","title":{"rendered":"My Friend Harvey."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"\"$ <\/a>Growing up early on, I had the wonderful opportunity to catch the early acting bug.\u00a0 Acting disciplined a young man that resisted control, conformity, and was in a lot ways dealing with lots of unworthiness and trying to fit in.\u00a0 As an introvert, I had a better time dwelling inward, and less of good time expressing. When I met acting it gave me the liberty to express freely, as myself, with no holds bar on what I could say or not say.\u00a0 It opened a gate way of liberation within my soul and I found that my alter in life was acting.\u00a0 There I was able to explore my inner demons, express different outlets, and dance with the shadow.\u00a0 There was great freedom to just be who I was. I loved it. Those doors led me to facilitate workshops, speak, and write today on love, peace, and life.<\/p>\n

In high school I was cast in Christmas Carol, a semi-professional theater company. It was a blast because I was working for the first time with adults.\u00a0 What was even more remarkable I was working with men that had been in relationships with other men for years.\u00a0 They were so happy, and in love.\u00a0 My director at the time was a Mr. Harvey Berman, Harvey changed many people\u2019s live, and most of all changed mine.\u00a0 He taught me everything that he could about theater, life, education, life, and most of all being yourself.\u00a0 He and his partner were together for over 35 years old.\u00a0 Harvey never brought it up, but him and Danny were in love.\u00a0 I remember bringing my girlfriends by to meet to\u00a0 Harvey, they loved him and I loved him as well.\u00a0 I loved that he was free to express himself, that he could care less about what others thought, and he had nothing to hide.\u00a0 He was Harvey. Harvey was theatrical, funny, and wonderful.<\/p>\n

I moved down to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting and go to school, we kept in touched, met for breakfast, and the last time I saw Harvey, we met for breakfast at Canters on Fairfax.\u00a0 I brought my then 3 year old daughter Harper with me. He was so happy for me, and wanted to know all the gossip in my life.\u00a0 Was I acting? Was I on stage? What was happening with David?\u00a0 He was so excited to find out about my life and so proud of me. Harvey passed away last year. Harvey was my friend, teacher, director, motivational speaker, and I loved him very much.\u00a0 As friends love friends.\u00a0 I met Harvey when I was 15 years old, and he put me in my first big show, and cast me in a opera for goodness sakes, I didn\u2019t sing in it, but loved it. I knew him for 24 years.<\/p>\n

It baffles me to hear that we still struggle on this planet with marriage for same sex couples,\u00a0 what I learned is\u00a0 love is love.\u00a0 Harvey loved life and loved people. He could care less about anything else, but loving. Today he still reminds that love always wins.\u00a0 You can fight it, create rules, separate, do everything you want to keep it away, but love will win and when you meet that love, whether a friend, stranger, partner, you will understand.\u00a0 I miss Harvey, I miss our breakfasts, I miss carrying his newspapers, I miss our chats, I miss our coffee\u2019s, but I love that I know what it feels like to love, how real love is.<\/p>\n

Love is authentic, real, and everyone deserves it, everyone! Thank you Harvey for your love\u2026.<\/p>\n

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