Pleas help! Am I going crazy?

[freetobegay]

I was born & raised in the hills of the Appalachian mountains in S.E. Kentucky (Coal Mining country). I knew at a very young age I was Gay, Luckily for me my parents moved to Florida when I was a teenager to try to give us a better life (God love them for that!)

When I graduated High School I moved to Miami & was the Belle of the ball at all the Gay night life spots. As I got older & wiser, I decided to settle down. I moved over to Fort Myers met the man of my life & we bought a house together. That was 11 years ago. To say I had the rug pulled out from under me last night would be an understatement just like the rest of you. To make matter worse I was fired from my Job this morning!

As I sit here reflecting on my life & where it has gone, I am getting depressed. But wait it gets worse, I want to go back to a simple life, with no hassles like I remember growing up as a youngerster. I want to move back to S.E. Kentucky & back to simpler times. Life is different there. I still have relatives there & very often.

My other half agreed we could sell our home & move there (he is born & bred Floridian).

Am I over reacting? Or does it sound like I need a change in my life?

I guess the old saying is true, you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the county out of the boy.

ANy & all thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[NYC]

1. Is it acceptable to be gay in that part of Kentucky?

If not, don't go.

[freetobegay]

10. Not really, thats one of my dilemmas.

[one_true_leroy]

2. I'de be VERY careful before jumping back into that genepool...

I spend a lot of time in Appalachia (i have a cabin in West NC), and I soemtimes feel alienated (and hostility on a couple occasions) because I'm a shaggy, young not-from-here-er. It'll only be worse if you are gay.

[KingChicken]

3. Dude thats horrible, you were fired too? I hope you are ok.

Take some time to think about your direction, things might be a little emotional right now. You can go back to where you came from but it's never quite the same. Change might be in order though.

[madmax]

4. Give yourself a few days or weeks to think about it

We're all pretty tired and burnt out now. Talk it over with your S.O. regarding jobs etc. then decide. :hug:

[MSgt213]

5. Be careful, I don't know how small the town is you are considering moving

back to is and while small town have their charm they can also be worse because everybody is in everybody's but their owns business and that can make life difficult. Just something to keep in mind.

[freetobegay]

11. it's about 3,000.

[Jo March]

6. Don't do anything!!! Listen to me for a sec

When you have experienced a great stressor in your life, such as this one, the best thing to do is wait for about 2 weeks and then make the decision. Never make a decision out of grief or anger.

freetobegay, KY isn't all that great - no offense. (I'm from Alabama and have also lived in KY) Moving back to KY is maybe your way of wanting to escape back to when things were good, when you were a child. What you will find there won't be 100% what you remembered. This state went for * and elected a clearly unbalanced man.

Please don't make a decision yet. Give yourself time to grieve.

I suffer from depression and have learned from therapy not to jump into any big decisions when I am at my lowest so I'm not just pulling this out of my ass.

If it's okay, I'd like to say a prayer for you. I know that anti-religious sentiment is running a bit high but I believe that Jesus wants me to love all of my neighbors. You are part of my DU family and I love you, although we've never met. I wish you all the best of luck.

Sorry to ramble on. I am a bit emotional tonight.

[freetobegay]

12. Sasy all the prayers you like

I believe in Jesus. He is what has kept me sane so far!

[Jo March]

18. FTBG, that made me cry - out of all of the things to cry about!!

I just don't want to be lumped in with the zealots. I see what has been written by others on this board and I'm afraid to say I'm going to pray for someone!

I can't believe that * has done this to my country.

Fuck it. Why am I crying like an idiot at THIS? I haven't cried one tear yet and NOW it comes?!?

[freetobegay]

19. From me to you

:hug:

[sundog]

7. beware small town amerika -- see "Dogville" if you have any questions

[MuseRider]

8. Sometimes change is just what a person needs.

I do agree that you can't take the country out of the boy. But remember, you were a kid then. Undoubtedly your parents were working their asses off to keep it together. It is not easy if you are talking about farming or even owning a chunk of land in the country. You might ask them what it was like for them. Otherwise go for it. It is healthy, hard but rewarding work.

[freetobegay]

13. I have no parents anymore

I do own land there. I won't be farming but looking at my finances I could take early retirement & sit on the creek bank fishing.

[MuseRider]

25. Ahhh sorry, me too.

I do agree with others that you might want to give it just a little time but if you can go there and just enjoy life then shit, DO IT! You deserve to be happy. BTW, just a small point. I have found that the people in small towns at least around here, Kansas (similar to Kentucky in many ways), will be tentative at first but once you are there and you prove that you can keep up your place and pay your bills and not run around naked in town then you should be fine. Most people I know in small town Kansas really couldn't care less who you sleep with. There are some who do but I really see little of that kind of nonsense around here in the small communities.

[Rowdyboy]

9. Don't make any rash decisions, friend....

Rural Kentucky has many virtues, but are you truly ready to go back? Does your partner have a job? Can he transfer? How is the economy there? Check things out before you go off the deep end.

[freetobegay]

14. No economy to speak of

We do have a little nest egg.

[Rowdyboy]

23. Babe, I worked for the Employment Service in rural and urban Mississippi

for 25 years. Nest eggs can disappear far more quickly than you could imagine. Decent jobs (especially in rural areas) are very hard to find and the pay in rural areas is sickening.

I understand your unhappiness, I just hope your think VERY hard before jumping. I saw how hard the shift from urban to rural is, especially for gay guys. Its very tough.

Could you guys investigate jobs on-line before moving? I have several websites that might be of interest. Also. is their a compelling reason for Kentucky, other than your being born there? There are places in the semi-rural south that have decent economies and jobs....

[freetobegay]

24. It's my home

Thats where my parents are burried. My family has been there since 1796. I would probably open up a little corner store.

[goju]

15. What did you do and why were you fired? n/t

[freetobegay]

17. I worked in Hotel Management

I got to vocal in my poltical beliefs.

[freetobegay]

16. I want to thank everyone who responded

I guess we will wait till the first of the year to think about it. SOmetimes I just need someone to reinforec me. Thats what I love about DU!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. love dont go back

you may not even realize it but you've changed and going back is not going to help.

[freetobegay]

22. Words of wisdom from you.

As always thank you.

[Pithlet]

21. I don't think you're overreacting.

I think a lot of us are rethinking our plans and what we want to do. We were thrown for a loop with these election result, particularly those who are and will be affected the most by it, like you have. I'm sorry you lost your job. Good luck with your move.