My name is Shawn, but you can call me PeaceBear. I was born in a small town in Illinois and grew up in a bible thumping god fearing church, but, I would ask that you don’t hold that against me. I never simply accepted what I was told. I knew one thing: the God I knew was love. So, I decided to search that deity out.
I spent time as a pagan, wiccan, Atenist, Episcopalian, Christian, and a few other things. I wanted to experience the Divine, to get to know them better, and I needed to go on a trip to do that. (No, not a literal trip.) I read various books, practiced various faith traditions, and tried to find God. Eventually, I did. I am a Christian Mystic who would have been burned at the stake in less enlightened time. Generally, I’m an all around heretical Christian.
I’m also a gay man. I’ve been in a few relationships, loved a few good men, and tried to find the love of my life. As I’m single you can guess how well that went, but I have learned a lot. Mainly, any relationship is a two way street and I will accept nothing less than that.
What do I do for work? We Americans do love that question, it’s generally how we define ourselves. Well, right now I’m unable to. I’m helping out my mother, plus I have medical problems that I’m trying to get under control. I have spent time doing a few different things, though. I’ve been a caregiver for the developmentally disabled, a job I loved but didn’t pay the bills. I’ve been a delivery driver, cook, chef (even went to culinary school for a while), supervisory, dish washer, etc. I’ve done a lot of things, and I’ve learned that a job should never define who you are.