lessons from Grindr

This older guy’s message to a younger guy on Grindr has Gay Twitter™ bawling

By · Updated on January 26, 2024
Bearded man lays on his bed and looks at his cellphone.

When people post screenshots of Grindr messages on social media, it’s usually for one of two reasons: the sender was either creepy or rude AF.

But on Easter Sunday, one visible Twitter Gay™ shared a heartwarming string of messages he received from an older man on the hookup app. The man wasn’t looking to smash; but rather, just imparting some wisdom.

It’s one of the most pleasant greetings anybody could ever expect to receive when they log onto the vaunted grid.

There are many wonderful things here, but let’s start with the man’s earnestness. He’s clearly using Grindr as a way to connect with other members of the community, which is so refreshing to see!

His anecdote about being a young gay in a topless jeep driving around carefree in the Southern California sun is downright majestic, if not poetic. It would be the perfect opening scene to any gay biopic.

With the gay hookup scene now firmly online, there’s something nostalgic about the idea of bopping around and looking to cruise–free of judgment or guilt. The activity invites a youthful wonder that just can’t be replicated by sitting alone on the couch and scrolling through endless digital avatars.

That leads us to the man’s final piece of wisdom: “Enjoy life. It goes by too quickly.”

We live in an age of constant FOMO. This can be especially true in the summer months, when it seems like everyone in your feed is hopping between lavish estates on Fire Island and Provincetown, while you’re stuck at home working.

But that’s not real life. There is a tremendous joy that comes with being LGBTQ+ today, from gathering with friends to watch Drag Race on Friday nights to dancing freely amongst a sea of euphoric strangers.

We would all benefit from appreciating the freedom that comes with being young and gay in 2023, and hearing more from this wise Grindr man, whose identity is appropriately shrouded in obscurity.

This post’s vitality is also a reminder that we can always use more positivity in our lives. The other social media trend from the weekend involved gays posting screenshots of the worst insults they’ve received on Grindr, which is kinda depressing.

Yes, men can be pigs, especially when hiding behind an online profile. But they can also be great, and the really special ones have stories to share. Let’s not forget that.

Related:

Older gay gentlemen offer 15 life lessons to their younger gay counterparts

We asked gay guys over 50 about the things they wished they’d known when they were 20.

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