I lived alone after my girlfriend & I broke up and after my divorce. I enjoyed the independence. If I hadn't met Eddie, I certainly wouldn't be living with someone for the sake of having company. And there's no feeling like getting everything situated in your first apartment and getting that "This is MY place" feeling. Sam can relate.
And I still remember getting a watermelon, cutting it after it was cold and eating the best part out of the middle at the sink - no damn newspaper on the table under the plate and carefully-cut slice.
D, Because I'm feeling metaphoric now, I'll use our foster puppies as an example. They're alive and healthy because one of them had the curiosity/guts to climb out of the trash pile when he heard Eddie dropping off the donations (Purple Heart truck site) and I saw him. The other two were cringing safely in an old blanket. I don't know where they'd be if he hadn't, but Ibe assured they're in pretty sweet circumstances now at our house and will stay there until they're adopted.
I'm sure your uncle doesn't want to make a mistake anymore than you do. What about a two-week trial visit? Live under his roof as a family member, have a serious talk with him about respecting one another's beliefs and opinions and see where it goes from there. You should be able to determine whether he seriously wants to be a bridge to your independence, as I did when loaned my nephew money to get his car & set up his business, or whether he sees you as a conversion project.
And believe me, you can live in a red state and find plenty of kindred non-conservative spirits.
