Faith Ranoli

Today, I lost a friend. 

Ranoli, a larger than life lesbian, ghost hunter, home inspector, was the first person to help me become that man that I am today. 

When I was fresh out of high school and new to living on my own, the only thing I knew about the gay community was sex. This first couple of years out on my own and alone was very tough. I was adrift in a new world away from the structure of the church or family and in a sea of nonchalant fucking, drugs and drinking. Tired of this drift, I somehow ended up terrified on the front steps of a church deciding to go in and join the new gay and lesbian choir forming in Denver. That night was when I met Ranoli, who saw the terror in my eyes, got me to calm down and walk into the rehearsal room. This made me realize for the first time that it isn’t just that we sleep with the same sex that makes up our community. 

As she is one of my mentors in life I listened intently to her story of how she became involved in the paranormal, her views on life, and ideas on how to truly be happy in this world. She even officiated my past commitment ceremony. I always love how she was nonjudgmental, and spoke to her story and journey without spewing to the established dogma. 

My world got a little darker today.