Mr. Sunshine Smiles

Happy Monday, friends!

I’m sorry for taking last week off; however, I was just not in the mental capacity to write a new post. A heartfelt thank you for your understanding and support. I’m excited to be back in full force this week!

I don’t know about you; however, I don’t think it felt like the Fourth of July at all this past week. Anyone? Anyone? Am I alone on this feeling? For me, it kind of felt like “just another day.” In fact, none of the holidays that have been celebrated this year have really felt the same to me. I just can’t put my finger on it. Maybe it’s because I’m becoming old.

The dogs days of Summer have certainly been no stranger to us these past few weeks. I hope everyone is staying hydrated and giving their air conditioning a workout. Get ready for that high electric bill!

Anyhoo, I digress. Let’s get on to the topic at hand for this week’s post…

And that topic is…Summer milestones!

With society telling us that Summer is already half over, I’m excited to share with you three of my greatest milestones thus far since June 21st–the actual official day that Summer started.

1. Becoming debt free with student loans

I’m one of those people that feel like I’ve been paying off student loans since birth. Raise your hand and say “Hey!” if you agree! The constant monthly payments that have always seemed to creep up on me twice a month since graduating college in 2010…well, I’m glad to finally say that they are GONE and out of my life FOREVER. That’s right…debt free from those pesky things that we call student loans. (Insert happy dance for days here). It feels liberating.

Getting these loans to the magic number of 0 over the years has been quite the task. How did I accomplish it? Well, with some hard work at a full-time job and several part time jobs, a payment plan, and a rigid concept of determination in my mind…not to sound cliche, but that’s basically how it worked. Making payments when I found myself having extra funds during a particular month was also beneficial.

And seriously…for those of you out there who are working on getting down to that magic number of 0–don’t give up. Get set up on a payment plan if you aren’t already and budget out times during the year based on your income and finances where you can make an extra payment or two to get ahead. It will work wonders. Believe me.

What will I do now with the extra money I’ll save per month? Probably buy some more ice cream for the freezer. KIDDING. Well, kind of. I mean…I will always be buying ice cream, but I might enjoy an extra half gallon…or two…or five. Shhh…don’t tell anyone!

2. Becoming an uncle

On June 24th, the Welliver family became a bit larger as my brother, Will and his wife, Mindy welcomed baby Mackenzie Marion into the world! She brought with her a full head of hair. I’m so thankful to God and everyone in my life for their support, love, and prayers toward Mindy and Will as they made their way through this pregnancy. They had some rough patches leading up to this moment and I couldn’t be more grateful that all turned out well.

She is incredibly adorable and cute and all I want to do is hold her constantly! There is just something so special and calming about snuggling a baby in your arms…and that new baby smell. It is something that can’t be described–it has to be experienced. And I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed the moments I’ve already got to spend holding Mackenzie SO much and I’m SO looking forward to many more in the future.

I’m excited to watch her grow up and hopefully share some sunshine as she makes her way in this world.

I hope that I can do her justice as an Uncle. Only time will tell!

3, Reaching the halfway month in my 1K For 10K running journey for pediatric cancer research

On June 21st–the first official day of Summer–I hit the 500th mile in my 1K for 10K journey. Say what?! The halfway point to 1000 miles has officially been recorded! In addition to this milestone, I’m just about $400 away from hitting the $9000 total funds raised mark, which is literally insane. July kicks off Month 7 in this journey and being so close to the $10,000 total goal with 5 months still to go makes me speechless. It looks like I’ll be increasing that goal by a few thousand before end of year.

As of the writing of this post at 11:21pm Sunday night, I’ve clocked over 170 runs, more than 550 miles, and have raised an official $8625 total from the generosity of more than 100 donors. It is incredible to see the amount of love, support, and hope from individuals all over who have shared their passion and stories with me as I continue pounding miles to find a cure.

For those who are interested, this month if you donate $15.00 or more, I will play a song of your choice on the piano. That’s right. Any song at all…the choice is yours. So, that means head over to 1KFOR10K.COM to make a donation and help me join the fight to bring hope for a cure to these kids and their families.

We are and WE WILL CRUSH these goals together while finding a cure.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you this week! We are halfway through the Summer and have halfway left to go! I look forward to even more milestones in the coming weeks as we continue to full speed ahead to the hottest dog days of weather.

So, grab your sun tan lotion, set your air conditioning to the temperature that keeps you cool to prevent those hot flashes, and bring out the flip flops because the second half of sweet Summer time is ready to kick our butts into full gear!

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

 

 

Another happy Monday to all of you!

It’s hard to believe that we just celebrated the official first day of Summer according to our calendar and before we know it, it will be July 4th. I always remember being told that July 4th meant that Summer was half over; however, it just started. I don’t get it. Anyone else feel like this? Or am I in the minority on this one?

Also, quick side note before I get on to this week’s blog post.

I would kindly ask for all of your thoughts, prayers, and good vibes for my brother, his wife, and future Baby Girl Welliver. She was officially admitted into the hospital yesterday after having some very painful contractions. Her official due date is July 3rd; however, with the difficult pregnancies that they have experienced in the past, everything makes me extra worried. So, if you have a free moment to say a prayer or two or send a good thought their way, it would certainly be appreciated.

Well, let’s get down to business…to defeat the Huns. Yahsss to Disney songs getting stuck in my head.

Those that know me extremely well know that I’m a huge fan of tradition. I love creating new ones and I love celebrating old ones. I feel like there are so many that I’ve experienced thus far in my 31 years on this Earth; however, there is one that will forever always be my favorite. For ever and ever. Regardless of how old I get.

And that tradition is the beach with my family.

This annual Summer trip is something that has been occurring for literally as long as I can remember…and we are talking like wee little Mr. Sunshine days, so at least a decade and a half…I’ll have to check with Mama Welliver on my statistics.

One of my favorite things about the beach is that it can always both relax and calm your mind no matter how much anxiety or stress it is being put through.

There is nothing quite like hearing the waves crash on the sand or seeing the sun set in the distance over the water creating a picture that seems almost always too perfect for words.

Back in the day, we would stay at a hotel called The Lotus Inn in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. It was one that my parents had always gone to when they traveled down after they first got married. The owners were the sweetest people and always made sure that their guests were taken care of properly with warm welcomes and smiles–two things that go a long way in today’s society.

I remember loving the water as a younger child and not being able to contain my excitement to walk across the street and put my feet in the sand. Mama Welliver always did a good job in making sure we were prepared with our sunscreen and water shoes. I was the kid who was not a fan of the water shoes though, so the minute I stepped into the water and felt something like a crab or other kind of sea creature at my feet, I would scream like a little girl and do high knee kicks out of the ocean.

I may or may not still do that…

Growing up, we would only stay at the beach for a short stay–usually 4 days and 3 nights, but it never mattered how long of a time period it was–it was always great to get away from life and spend some quality time with each other.

It was always a fun task when each of us had to either pick a place to eat dinner, play mini golf (a Welliver family favorite), or get ice cream to indulge our sweet tooth. My favorite go-to restaurant that I ALWAYS wanted to populate (and still do to this day) is called Bandanas. A cute, little Mexican restaurant with the best food. It’s one of those true gems that never disappoints. What we would call “a hole in the wall.”

Of course…as with everything…traditions change. And now, our annual beach trip takes place in North Wildwood for a week over the Labor Day holiday where we take up residence in our Cousins’ beach house condo.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate both the quality time aspect of being around people I love while also enjoying the get away from the “real world chaos” known as daily life. Well, known as adulting, actually.

As I’ve gotten older, I’m also become lesser of a fan of the water and more of a tanner with the sun. I’m also the person that puts on actual tanning lotion and not sun tan lotion. Yes, I know…you don’t need to lecture me.

Our week vacations at the beach are known to include several nights out to enjoy a delicious meal at some of our favorite local hot spot restaurants, cooking in for dinner and having a meal at the table in the dining room with conversation, lots of beach time, coffee and breakfast on the front patio, wine and game night that usually includes a pretty intense match of Catchphrase or Uno Roboto, and quiet nights of reading books or just watching a movie. Oh, and I can’t possibly forget the tradition of getting a hot dog from the retired veteran who has a stand set up right when you walk on to the beach. Nothing beats a hot dog with some ketchup, mustard, onions and an ice cold A&W root beer to wash it down with–the perfect beach lunch.

It’s truly amazing what a week at the beach can do for you. It’s a time to forget about your troubles, a time to relax and be stress-free, a time to recharge, rejuvenate, and rejoice in the simple things…quality time with those in your life that you appreciate.

By the time September rolls around, I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that I will be ready for a vacation. Heck, I’m probably ready for one now. Correction…I AM ready for one now.

So, celebrate traditions…both old and new. And learn to appreciate them for what they are worth. They are moments that will bring your soul the greatest joy and fulfillment for days to come.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

 

Monday greetings to you all!

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable week since last week’s post and was able to soak up some sunshine amidst the crazy rain and wind that Mother Nature decided to mix in as well. It’s hard to believe that we are already entering the third week of June and that we will be looking at July 1st in just a few short days. But like, seriously though. Where is the time flying to? It’s literally insane.

A few weeks ago we got to celebrate the holiday of Mother’s Day and just yesterday, we got to follow it up with the counterpart holiday for those special men in our life…

Ding! Ding! You are correct!

FATHER’S DAY!

And as you all continue to read today’s blog post, I’d just like to take a moment and wish all the fathers out there in the world–past, present, and future a very happy and belated by one day Father’s Day…this also includes those fathers who are no longer with us. All of you are (and have been and continue to be) pioneers in the world around us with your support, guidance, and compassion. And we couldn’t be more thankful for that!

And…with that being said, I’d like to extend a HUGE happy Father’s Day to my ever amazing and incredible Dad! Without him, I wouldn’t have inherited any type of tall gene…haha. But in all seriousness, there are many aspects of my life that he has helped to mold and shape who I am today and that is what I hope to express in this week’s post.

I guess it’s always good to start at the beginning since it always seems to be the most logical place to start. But alas, I don’t want to be logical this week. So, please put your arms and legs inside the car and buckle your seat belts…because we are not starting at the beginning.

On the evening of October 21st, I was at rehearsal at EPAC for the December production of Beauty and the Beast. I had just been with my parents earlier in the day for lunch after church and remember my dad looking pale, weak, and not at all like himself. It was very out of the blue because my dad is a healthy person who visits the gym regularly, walks the dogs on the daily, and is active at his full-time job and also at home around the house. Something just didn’t seem right. And sure enough, that evening around 6pm, I got a text from my mom letting me know that they were headed to the ER.

In just a moment, everything had changed. My sudden mood was shifted to extreme concern and worry. It was the fear of the unknown. Not knowing that to expect, what to think, or what was wrong. It was absolutely terrifying.

Needless to say, it was a moment in my life where I realized that nothing can ever be taken for granted and that we must all learn to say “I love you” and “I appreciate you in my life” as often as possible because we never know when those opportunities will be taken away.

Today, my dad is just about back to 100%, feeling great, and as active as ever. I’ve told him that he’s not allowed to scare us like that again, especially since his wife passed along her worry wart gene to me too!

My dad is an extremely intelligent man. He is definitely the person that I could see giving Ken Jennings a run for him money on Jeopardy! He seems to have so much knowledge about everything, even the most random of facts, which I think sparks from his joy of reading books constantly and just seeking out knowledge about all types of topics through different facets of research. I feel like I always buy him books for his birthday, Father’s Day, and any other holiday that involves gift giving; however, I’ve recently started to get him on the fun sock kick. You’re welcome, dad.

Just a random fun side note for you…my dad does much better with calling me JP than Mama Welliver does. She is still on the Johnny train!

It hasn’t always been the easiest to connect with my dad and when I became open about my sexuality, it was definitely a point of tension in our relationship. He was not as vocal about it when it was brought to the forefront—it seemed like more disappoint than anything that was expressed with little actual vocalization.

But after some open conversation, questions, and seeking to understand each other’s perspective, we worked through the tension and have become much stronger as a father and son, which I couldn’t be more thankful for.

My dad is someone who has been at all the concerts, shows, award ceremonies and anything that a parent could attend through elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and even present day. He is the one that usually gets the lucky task of being the chauffeur of my mom to these events, which I know he enjoys very much. I can’t tell you how much it means to a son having the privilege to see parents in the audience supporting each endeavor that I undertake in life There are no real words to describe it, but it is something that gives my soul warmth and joy.

Another fun side note…dad can drive really slow when he chauffeurs. Sometimes, I secretly want him to put the pedal to the medal…just a bit!

My dad is the one who is responsible for my tall gene. And even though I still feel like I’m growing and that my pants get shorter each time I put them on, he still beats me out by about an inch or two. Give it another year or two and I’ll be the tallest Welliver boy in the family.

My dad is the one that is responsible for helping me create a budget in life and to always think through a purchase first before I make it. (The new car that I bought a month ago doesn’t count).

My dad is the one that is responsible for my OCD craziness with grammar and double checking every email, blog post, letter, or other entity that I write. All those years of him marking up the rough drafts of my papers really paid off!

My dad is the one that is responsible for helping me all the little bits of advice and guidance that I need on house projects, repairs, 401Ks, car trouble, or basically anything that falls under the category of “adulting.” He is always there to offer his two cents and give me a fair, honest opinion when needed.

Dad—thank you for always being there to support me through it all. Thank you for passing down your tall gene, for always coming out to watch my shows even if they are ones that don’t excite you, and for pushing me to always put 110% into everything that I undertake. Thank you for being an integral part of my musical life and sharing the gift of your tenor voice whenever I need it.

Two moments that I will never forget as long as I live was hearing how proud you were of me when I completed my 46 hours at THON during my senior year at college. The second is seeing you cheer me on during the first year of the Hope Express when I was running my last leg up the hill and I was struggling. But halfway up the hill, I saw you and mom cheering me on and it filled me with such joy and energy that it kept me going.

Thank you for taking time to seek and understand my sexuality. I know it wasn’t easy and I know that it still has both scary and rough moments for you, but it is something that I can’t put into words with how much I appreciate it and how much it means to me.

In the past year, I’ve watched you lose both of your parents and while I know that it has been a personal struggle for you at times, you have never given up on me or your family. You continue to support us, love us, and guide us through the trying times called life.

I couldn’t be prouder of the fact that you are my dad. Thank you for being one heck of an incredible man in the Welliver family…and joining me and Will on the fun sock train.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, happy Monday greetings all! I hope everyone had a great week and is ready to start another great week together! I also hope that everyone was able to enjoy some type of sunshine (whether it was literal sunshine or figurative sunshine) in some way, shape, or form!

It’s hard to believe that we are already into the second week of June. Can someone please tell me where the time is going? I think in the upcoming weeks I might need to write a letter to Father Time asking him to slow down the sand through the hour glass just a tad…these are the days of our lives…such a good soap opera drama that I used to love watching back in the day. Just a little fun side note for you before we delve into this week’s post!

Well, enough about the days of our lives and soap operas…let’s get down to the real nitty gritty…this week’s post! May I have a drum roll please?!

:DRUM ROLL: (Please imagine one playing in your head or make the sound effect yourself as you continue reading).

This week’s post is all about milestones in my life and what I’ve learned thus far.

This post marks my 40th official one since starting this endeavor back in August! That is literally CRAY CRAY CRAY. And that’s not the only milestone we are celebrating! Well, technically the second milestone is something that we are celebrating a bit pre-maturely; however, it is not too far off from happening in the near future…and that is reaching the 500th mile with the 1K For 10K year-long challenge.

For those of you who may or may not know, I launched a year-long challenge on January 2nd to run 1000 miles and raise $10,000 for pediatric cancer research throughout the entire year of 2019. And in just about 10 days, I will officially hit the halfway point with the mileage that has been clocked thus far in the journey. Talk about more CRAY CRAY CRAY. I feel like this journey just started yesterday.

So, what I have learned throughout these milestones that I write about today?

Well, read on to find out!

~Three Things That I’ve Learned From Writing 40 Blog Posts~

1. I’ve come to realize that I’m much better at blog post writing when it is last minute.

-Everyone knows that I’m someone who has my life planned out quite heavily. I mean, I wrote a blog post about the art of joyful planning and how I keep my planner organized through color coding. And if you were to pick up my planner, you will see activities written from now until December. But, believe it or not, blog post writing is not something that I’m good at planning out. I’ve found through these past 40 posts that it is something I usually have the most success with on Sunday nights right before the official deadline posting of Monday at 6:30am. I often try to find inspiration on the daily whether it be through events happening in the world or my personal life. Of course, topics are always something that I’m open to suggestions for, so if you have something you would like to see me write about, just give me a shout! Feel free to message me with a short email message, Facebook message, or DM me on Instagram! So many options, so no excuses are allowed! If you have ideas in your head about what Mr. Sunshine should write about, send them on over!

2. I’ve come to realize that people in this world really need positive energy and vibes.

-When I decided that I wanted to start blogging, my main goal was to provide a format that focused on positive energy, love, and kindness–the core values that I was brought up on and that I believe in with my whole heart and try to live out on the daily. And just when I think that I’m not making a difference with my weekly writings and feel like no one is paying attention to the posts, I get a message or comment about how something I said has helped someone or that they have really appreciated the words they read. Just last week, I got a text message from my former roommate of junior and senior year of college, Jolie saying the below:

“While I love your blog post every week, I especially loved this week’s post. I can distinctly remember you telling me our freshman year how your parents along with others close to you initially had so much trouble accepting your sexuality and I remember how it felt seeing you hurt from that. I am so glad our society is making slow progress in acceptance but it saddens me to think of how far we have yet to come. Love you always, JP! Keep being you and keep spreading sunshine because God knows this world needs it.”

It is feedback and messages like this that overflow my soul and heart with warmth and why I find it so important to continue spreading sunshine in all the ways whether big or small.

3. I’ve come to realize that social media still makes me have reactive emotions.

-One of my greatest struggles that I still find myself continuing to wrestle with on the daily is allowing social media to get the best of me. On the flip side, one of the entities that I’m most proud of in my life is that I work very hard to be authentic through all outlets of social media. In essence, what you see is exactly what you get. No filters. No gimmicks…just me, Mr. Sunshine. Or your money back guaranteed. I don’t try to bullshit anything and I write with an open and vulnerable heart. And while I may look at other’s social media and see what looks to be like perfection and become reactive and jealous, I must realize that a lot of times, what we are seeing is “filtered” images of how these people wish us to see their lives.

~Three Things That I’ve Learned From Running 500 Miles~

1. I’ve come to realize that my passion for finding a cure for pediatric cancer has become even stronger since graduating from Penn State.

-I graduated 9 years ago from Penn State and THON was a huge part of my college life. It changed me forever. However, that passion has grown even more in my adult life since graduation day a mere 9 years ago. And that passion is something that I continue to work on sharing with the world through my endeavors of running to find a cure–most recently with the current 1K For 10K challenge.  My flame of passion inside my soul stays strongly lit for those who have passed and those who are still fighting–specifically Kristin, Ellen, Sally, Carlene, Wendy, Lexi, and Pat.

2. I’ve come to realize that the pain I might feel in my legs/feet from running almost everyday is nothing compared to the pain of what these families, kids, and all those fighting this disease are going through.

-Running 3 miles a day can begin to take it’s toll, especially after 6 months of doing it on the daily. Believe me…there are days where I’ve wanted to make the excuse to not run any miles at all. But, then I remember that I’m responsible to keep fighting for hope to stay alive and that I will not rest until a cure is found. And I must always remember that any pain that my body might be feeling is nothing compared to what these families, kids, and other individuals fighting this disease are battling on the daily. Running 3 miles a day is the least that I can do. But, in my heart, I believe with 110% confidence that a cure–a light at the end of the tunnel–is ahead and we will charge forward together to find that light.

3. I’ve come to realize that no matter what you try to undertake in life, that there will always be the nay-sayers who try to bring you down with their negative attitude an energy.

-While I know that we are living in the 21st century, I’m still the 31 year-old eternal optimist who likes to believe that everyone in the world has some type of good within themselves. Of course, people will call me naive because that just isn’t the reality, which is incredibly sad. And as I sit here writing this, I say to those who have found it necessary to make vocal that I won’t reach my goals in my 1K For 10K challenge, shame on you. Shame on you for thinking that it is necessary to bring about a negative attitude on a cause that is so close to my heart. Little do you know that I will have the last laugh. Because of your piss poor attitude, the flame of hope that I keep lit inside me only burns brighter. And with that brightness, I plan to CRUSH my goals and then some, so just you wait. Mr. Sunshine will prevail and WILL HAVE the last laugh. Amen.

Well, there you have it, folks. Just a few things that I’ve learned from the milestones that I’ve accomplished with both my blogging and my running journeys.

I don’t hide behind filters. I don’t hide behind a mask. I am open, honest, vulnerable and wear my heart on my sleeve.

And I will continue to live out my life as a single gay man in the 21st century fulfilling my calling of spreading sunshine through the facets of love and kindness.

Here’s to the nay-sayers and the many more milestones that are to come.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

 

 

Dear World,

My name is JP Welliver. I am gay, I am proud, and I am love.

As many of you probably already know, June is National Gay Pride Month, and as an openly gay man living in this world, nothing saddens me more than knowing that we are still struggling for rights and continue to be viewed as “different” or  “unfit” by a society that feeds upon hate and judgment.

It is 2019. We are living in the 21st century. What gives? How can it be that we are still living in a world where we would rather hate with our words than love with our hearts? It is the million dollar question that I continue to try and answer each and every day as I live out life.

In Spring of 2005, my junior year of high school, I made the decision to come out to a few of my friends. And while it was a decision that weighed heavily on me day in and day out, it is one that I look back on with no regrets.

And 14 year later, after being bullied, called inappropriate names including the term ‘faggot’, and struggling with thoughts of hurting myself and trying to figure out what I’m on this Earth for, I stand even stronger and prouder of who I am.

Today, I want to share a few reflections that I hope you will all take to heart and ponder as you go about your daily lives today, tomorrow, and each day after.

I want to thank my parents. While I know it was a struggle in the beginning to accept and we fought with differences, I couldn’t be more thankful for all of the unwavering support and true love you have continuously showed me throughout my life. You have raised me to fight for what I believe in, to never give up, and to show love and kindness to all. For that, I can’t repay you and having you by my side is the greatest gift I could ask for.

I want to thank my incredible and amazing friends who have been there through thick and thin since day one. I can’t even begin to imagine life without you all. You make the smiles, laughs, tears, hugs, and memories of each passing day extraordinary and worth living. Having a supportive team of individuals around me does wonders for the soul and it is something that I try to never take for granted. Each and every one of you is appreciated and loved so much. Each and every one of you has had some kind of impact in the evolution of Mr. Sunshine up to this point in my life. And for those who will continue to evolve with me in the future, I look forward to the days ahead with an unwavering optimistic energy.

I want to take a moment to share reflections with those out there struggling with their identity and sexuality. Always be true to yourself and never sacrifice anything for what you feel in your heart. Know that you are not alone and that there will always be people around to wrap you in love and warmth when the world seems cold and closes in with darkness.

I want to take a moment to share some reflections to those who view me and my fellow gay community as different. I hope that you will one day be able to look past the walls of judgement that you have built up and realize that we are no different than you. And while we may identify with feelings for those of the same sex, we are still human beings full of love and pride.  

 

I encourage all of you to celebrate the rainbow and the gay community and to extend a hand to all in this world by spreading love and kindness.  Not just this month, but every month of the year. Do it today, tomorrow, and each day after.

There may be days in my life left on this Earth that I get bullied, called faggot, or struggle with the thoughts of hurting myself—I don’t know what the future holds in store.

But I do know this.

I am a believer in sharing love and kindness to everyone regardless of social status, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. I look for the good in others and work hard in finding ways to make those around me happier. I believe in happily every after and will not sacrifice my morals or values to find whatever that might be for me in life. I fight for what I believe in.

I am happy. I am positive. I am spiritual. I am joyful. I am silly. I am reactive. I am emotional. I am proud. I am colorful. I am Mr. Sunshine. I am JP. I am gay.

I stand before you in this very moment with great pride in my true colors and can’t wait to continue sharing with the world who I am and what I’m about.

We need to stop the hating, the judgments, the bullying, and work together as one to break down the walls of hate that have paralyzed our society with the belief that the gay community is different.

This world needs more love.

Where are the opens arms of love that we should be extending to ALL humans regardless of the gender of the humans they love?

When will the hating stop? When will the violence end? When are we going to wake up as a human race and realize that people who love the same sex are no different than anyone else?

When is the world going to realize that love is love is love?

My name is JP Welliver. I am gay, I am proud, and I am love.

 Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

The happiest of Monday greetings to you all!

It is hard to believe that both the month of June and season of Summer are just around the corner…even though Mother Nature clearly doesn’t realize this fact based off the extremely hot weather she has given us and will be giving us this week.

Anyhoo, on to this week’s topic at hand: choices.

If one were to look up the definition of the world ‘choice,’ they would find the following:

1. An act or instance of choosing.
2. The right, power, or opportunity to choose.
3. The person or thing chosen or eligible to be chosen.
4. An alternative.

Choices.

Each day of our lives, we have to make choices. Choices can be fun to make and they can be not so much fun to make. In addition, these choices that we make can have impacts that are both positive and negative on the people and world around us.

Choices.

I made the choice to not write this blog post after folding laundry last night. I made the choice because it was midnight and I felt too tired to try and write the words. The result? Waking up at 5am to write. Yes, that’s correct. What you are reading right now is the result of me writing from the comfort of my bed, under a blanket, with the air conditioning blasting in the background.

Choices.

Each time I go to the grocery store, I’m forced with the task of making choices in each aisle. Some of these choices can take what feels like YEARS because there are just too many options. Has anyone else experienced the stressful task of what is commonly known as the cereal aisle? Or is it just me? Hundreds of boxes are just staring at you from each side of the aisle trying to get you to make the choice of buying them to take home and enjoy.

Choices.

I’ve had several people reach out to me on more than one occasion asking how I stay so positive even with all the negativity happening in the world. The answer? I make the choice each day when I wake up to find light and joy. I make the choice to stay positive and find positive energy in what is around me and to share that with others. I make the choice to be the sunshine when the clouds of the world decide they to be gray and stormy.

Choices.

Isn’t is crazy to think how such a simple word in the English language can have such huge impacts on so many aspects of our lives?

Every day…every hour…every minute…every second–we are making choices.

Do you make the choice to stay hi to the stranger or ignore them and keep moving on?

Do you make the choice to take the extra cash we found in our pocket to save it or spend it?

Do you make the choice to take action and positive change in our world or simply sit back and watch?

Do you make the choice to keep people in your life whom are motivating and supportive or say goodbye because we know they are creating a negative energy?

Do you make the choice to tell others in your life that you love and appreciate them?

Do you make the choice to hit gas the pedal and go through the red light when it turns yellow or slam the brake to stop?

Choices.

I choose to be happy.

I choose to find joy in simple things.

I choose to say hi to the stranger.

I choose to take action and create positive change.

I choose to keep people in my life who motivate, support, and love me.

I choose to be kind to all people.

Choices.

They can be easy. They can be hard. They can be fun. They can be stressful. They can make us laugh. They can make us cry. They can make us feel all the emotions.

One word.

All the impacts.

Choices.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Monday greetings to you all!

I sincerely hope that the May flowers of the Spring have been keeping you smiling with their beautiful bursts of color and that their strong scents haven’t been too much of a nuisance for those pesky allergies!

This past weekend, we were able to celebrate the BIGGEST Hallmark Card holiday of all holidays…one could say it is the “mother” of all holidays!

That’s right! You guessed correctly!

MOTHER’S DAY!

And as you all continue to read today’s blog post, I’d just like to take a moment and wish all the mothers out there in the world–past, present, and future a very happy and belated by one day Mother’s Day…this also includes those mothers who are no longer with us. All of you are (and have been and continue to be) pioneers in this world with your support, love, and never-ending compassion. And we couldn’t be more thankful!

And…with that being said, I’d like to extend a HUGE happy Mother’s Day to the one and only, Mama Welliver! I’m not sure words can actually begin to express how much I appreciate and love her, but I sure as heck am going to do my best!

Where do I even start? Better yet, how do I possibly say it all? Maria Von Trapp in the The Sound of Music (which happens to be one of Mama Welliver’s favorites), tells us to start at the very beginning…so I will try to do just that!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been super close with my mom. Back in the day of growing up a tiny little Mr. Sunshine, she did and still does it all! From packing my lunches for school (sometimes I secretly wish this still happened because I’m a terrible eater at times), coming into my room during the mornings to make sure my alarm did in fact wake me up and that I was on the go and moving, or giving me a big hug and saying “I love you” before stepping on to the school bus. It’s all part of the never-ending list of things that make Mama Welliver extra special.

And I don’t care what anyone says, getting a hug from a mom is the best feeling in the world…hands down.

During the olden days, when I was a wee little child, I remember getting so excited to go grocery shopping with her. I thought it was like the best thing since sliced bread. The tradition was a Thursday night trip to Weis Markets where we would go up and down the aisles grabbing the items needed while I pushed the cart, which proved to be hard to steer sometimes as it got both fuller and heavier. Side note: For those who don’t know, Mama Welliver is super organized, so she had a list of items all ready to go classified by the aisle number the items were in. And as luck should have it, we got to make our own little trip to the grocery store yesterday on Mother’s Day–something we haven’t done together in forever! And believe it or not, she still has her list organized by aisle!

No matter what we were doing, we always would have a great time–I’m the type of person that told Mama Welliver everything…and in some cases…too much. I still do to this day.

Just the other week, I wore vomited at the lunch table and what was Mama Welliver’s response? “Johnny–you’re funny when you get worked up.”

Fun side note…Mama Welliver calls me Johnny a lot!

Senior year of high school I think was the toughest one for the relationship with my mom. After coming out of the closet, it just seemed that all communication became more yelling than anything–we just didn’t see eye to eye on anything. The yelling was territory that I was unfamiliar with and I just didn’t know how to deal with it. It was a tough, emotional struggle for sure, especially with going away to school.

Ultimately, we worked through it with conversation, questions, and seeking to understand each other. And today, things couldn’t be better.

Mama Welliver is someone who has always been in the audience (with my dad of course too) to support me through every single production, concert, recital, or award ceremony that I’ve ever been a part of…and let me tell you…there have been a lot of them. And I’ve been doing this kind of stuff for at least 20 years. Just ask her how many shows she’s struggles to stay awake at…totally kidding, mom! You know I like to give you a hard time about that!

Mama Welliver is the type of person who will take anyone under her wing. She is the type of person who always puts the needs of others first. She is the type of person who will make sure that everyone has a place to go for a holiday meal so that no one is left out.

She is the one that is responsible for my curly hair gene…and for those of you who’ve seen my hair recently, it is pretty darn curly…and long. And I can’t wait to cut it.

She is the one that is responsible for bringing me up on the morals of kindness, love, and putting others first in life.

She is the one responsible for giving me my fear of confrontation. Like mother, like son–we are both people that do not enjoy or do well at crucial conversations…but we’re working on that.

She is also the one responsible for giving me the “worry about everything” gene. Haha. We are both such worriers…to the maximum level.

Mama Welliver–thank you for always being there to support me through it all. Thank you for passing down your curly hair gene, for always coming out to watch my shows even if they are ones that don’t excite you, and for pushing me to always put 110% into everything that I undertake.

Thank you for always allowing me to give you a hard time for being short when we take photos beside each other. You are always such a good sport about it.

Thank you for taking time to seek and understand my sexuality. I know it wasn’t easy and I know that it still has both scary and rough moments for you, but it is something that I can’t put into words with how much I appreciate it and how much it means to me.

You’ve never stopped believing in me, supporting me, or loving me.

My thirst and passion for life, love for others, smile, and Mr. Sunshine attitude have stemmed from everything you’ve taught me over the last 31 years. We’ve evolved and been through our share of tough times, but we have always come out of it all beaming the same smile…and apparently the same vests too!

I love you, Mama Welliver and I can’t begin to thank you enough for the person you have made me today.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Monday morning greetings all!

Hard to believe that we are already starting another week in the month of May. Before you know it, Summer will be here with the sunshine, heat waves, and freeze pops! Woo!

For those of you who may already know, I’m currently involved in the Ephrata Performing Arts Center production of Ragtime.This is my 23rd production at the theater that I’ve been a part of since starting back in 2010.

Whenever I’m involved with a show, it is always exciting for me to see how it can be related to the events of current day and our world. And boy, does this musical have extreme relevance with today’s society.

The musical is based on the 1975 novel written by E.L. Doctorow. It follows the stories of three groups of individuals in the United States during the early 20th century. African Americans are reprenented by Coahouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; uppert-class suburbanites, represented by Mother, the matriarch of a white upper-class family in New Rochelle, New York, and Eastern European immigrants, represented by Tateh, a Jewish immigrant from Latvia.

The musical takes on issues such as race, gender, and immigration and painfully reminds us that we are still struggling to unite ourselves over the division of these issues even 113 years later.

Rehearsals for this production started in February, so as you can imagine a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (literally) went into the making of show. The amount of talent that takes the stage throughout this production is unbelievable. There are not even words that can properly describe it because it has to be witnessed in person in order to understand.

In all my productions that I’ve done at EPAC, there have been only two that have made me cry during moments on stage.

One was a production of Hair back in 2017.

The other one?

Well, you guessed it. This one. Ragtime.

The stories that unfold during the plots combined with the lyrics sung through the many musical numbers are beautiful and heart-wrenching. They are a true testament to the individuals playing the characters that are brought to life with such passion and genuine vulnerability.

To me, one of the themes this show explores is how we must truly look inside ourselves to figure out we can work together to accept all people regardless of their religion, social status, sexual orientation, or skin color. It doesn’t matter and shouldn’t matter. Ever. Not today, not tomorrow, not 30 years from now.

In addition, the musical talks about how we must keep hope alive in the world so that the children and generations growing up after us in society can experience the American Dream and the country our forefathers imagined so many years ago.

Through the countless hours of rehearsal, lighting cues, costume changes, choreographed dance moments (and sitting moments), this is a show that has become a part of me. It has made me cry, made me laugh, and made me look at America–the country around me–as one in dire need of help to break the chains of social prejudice.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a production that makes such real, raw emotions flow from my body.

Please, you owe it to yourself to come out to this production. There are just 5 more chances to see it: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and two shows Saturday.

Head over to ephrataperformingscenter.com for ticket information.

We must go out and tell our story to the world. We must let it echo far and wide.

Make. Them. Hear. You.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

 

I’m quite confident that everyone at some point in their life has experienced America’s favorite past time. I’m of course referring to the game of baseball.

Throughout the game, there are many different terms used to describe different aspects of play–single, double, triple, home run, strike out–or my personal favorite…the seventh inning stretch.

Among the players on the team, there is one that a crucial and integral role. That is the pitcher. They are responsible for throwing the ball to the opposing team during play while ultimately getting them to strike out. They do this by switching up their style of throw with the repertoire of pitches they have in their back pocket.

Among that repertoire of pitches…the curveball.

When looking at the dictionary, the definition of the curveball is:

Noun; a pitch thrown with a strong downward spin, causing the ball to drop suddenly and veer to the side as it approaches home plate.

The curveball.

Not only is it a pitch that baseball players dread, but one that us human beings can dread too. Life can throw the curveball at any given moment toward us, especially during the most unexpected moments.

Yesterday was one of those moments where life threw an unexpected curveball.

Sunday morning started out like normal–the alarm went off urging me to wake up, get dressed, and go for a morning run before church at 9:15am.

I arrived at church mentally preparing for the service with organizing my music for the service and sitting in the front pew waiting for the bell to ring signifying it was time for Vicar Angie to make announcements.

She walked to the front of the church and pointed out important upcoming dates in regards to the future of the church…and when I thought she was over, she mentioned one more thing…the curveball.

She announced that Pastor Straw, whom happens to be a very dear friend to many in this community, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer.

Side note: I DISLIKE cancer very much. And this is just another reason why I will continue to run until the cure is found.

You could hear the gasp from a few individuals in the church pews and then silence. It was one of those moments where the words that just came out of her mouth didn’t register and lingered there in the air.

My stomach sank and my mind was immediately drawn to thoughts of the worst. In my head, I started shuffling through some of my most favorite memories with Pastor Straw, which most of the time include singing because he has a beautiful tenor voice that commands whatever room he happens to be in with the echoes of lush melody.

Knowing how this curveball is affecting not only me, but the countless others Pastor Straw has touched is absolutely heartbreaking. I can’t even imagine the thoughts and emotions his family is going through. All of my love, thoughts, and prayers will be with them and I know that they would all appreciate good thoughts, vibes, and prayers if you have the chance.

So, what is the point with me writing all this?

Never take anything for granted.

Never.

Ever.

Squeeze the people around you in life with hugs full of love.

Tell the people that you appreciate most in life how much they mean to you. Do it now. This very moment right after you finish reading this sentence.

Life will continue to happen.

Life will continue to move faster and faster without slowing down.

And it will throw us strong, downward spinning curveballs when we least expect it.

But…it all comes down to how we react to the pitch.

Do we embrace fear, strike out, and sit in the dug out on the bench?

Or do we choose hope to crush the ball and hit it out of the park?

The choice is yours.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

 

 

 

 

 

The grass patch in front of my Lancaster City home continues to grow. With the numerous amounts of rain and lack of time I’ve had to get out the “reel lawn mower” in the past weeks, it just hasn’t gotten the attention it needs.

And it is just the beginning of multiple imperfections in my life at the moment.

It all starts with grass.

Walk through the front door of Sunshine Cottage and you’ll probably want to turn right back around due to the disarray of “organized chaos” currently happening in what seems to be all rooms of the home.

In all fairness, the house is going through some extensive remodeling at the moment, so the chaos is justified…for now at least.

Items are thrown in piles on the floor, the coffee table is full of thank you note materials for my running campaign, and dust seems to be setting up shop around every little nook and cranny.

And I embrace it. 110%.

I’m not sure if it is just me; however, I feel like society throws in our faces the need to live perfect lives…in perfect homes…with perfect clothes…perfect people, and perfect “stuff” surrounding us.

Well, breaking news everyone. Rip out the front page headline. I call BS.

And I’m saying NO to society at the top of my lungs as I navigate these waters of life.

I want to be different. I want to be outside the box. I want to be against the status quo that we are influenced and surrounded by constantly.

I embrace the messy house that hasn’t been cleaned in weeks, the messy car that hasn’t been cleaned in (I can’t even remember when), the shoes falling apart with holes, the one who looks in the mirror and realizes that I shouldn’t change my personality or life ethic for anyone.

The billboard ad that you pass by every day on your way to work that shows the individual pictured smiling big because they just spent money on the latest and greatest fashion at Abercrombie and Fitch…is that actual true happiness?

Or the commercial that tells you to buy the newest version of the IPhone because it has a bigger and better camera and “everyone is doing it.” Are the photos you are going to snap with that ever-so-clear camera really going to display true happiness?

Is the selfie photo that you decided to put up on Instagram after 10 attempts of capturing perfection really telling the world who you truly are or forcing you to hide behind a filter?

Is going to the gym 7 days a week to achieve what society calls a “hot beach bod” really going to bring about everlasting feelings of pure joy and bliss 10 years from now?

Society tells us to “buy this, do that, and to be more like this person.” And I say NO.

Embrace the imperfections. OWN the imperfections. Realize that what society throws in our faces is not a cure all answer to the complicated equation known as life.

Life isn’t about having the most friends, the most money, the most expensive luxuries, or being the most popular. It’s about making positive change in the world with what you have and lifting up others.

Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

We are the ones who have the ability to live out Gandhi’s quote each and every day. We are the ones who have the power to ignite flames of passion in others around us to create positive change. We are the ones who have the power to display love and kindness to ALL regardless of their social status, religion, ethnicity, skin color, or sexual orientation.

We are the ones who can embrace our imperfections 110%.

Stop worrying about what society claims to think you need for a “perfect” life. It’s a load of bull and bologna.

Be different. Go outside the box. Go against the status quo.

Find your very own overgrown patch of grass and embrace it.

Embrace the imperfections. They are what make us genuine, human beings capable of living, feeling, and loving.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!