Greeting folks, Exactly one year ago today, I wrote this, my first thread, here on EC: What a difference just 365 days make! Early that morning, I couldn't sleep, the thoughts just kept washing over me, about relationships, about my failures and the future. And then it just came to me: I am gay, and I just felt it throughout my body, with absolute clarity, that this is what I am, and will be, for the foreseeable future. One year later, one complete circuit around the sun, here I am. The "several major changes" have taken place, the divorce process is now in its endgame, I have become involved in the gay community as if I have always been part of it. It fits, it works for me, it makes sense and I am alive to myself as never before! In this past year, I can honestly say that my most enduring love has been the experience I have shared with you here on EC. Every day I think of you all. Every day I discover one more thing I want to share with you. I think about your troubles as if they were my own. I also share your joys and I hope that I have given you comfort when things were less than good. I feel a responsibility for all of you that I have only kept for my kids in my former life. Love is indeed infinite and I do indeed love you all. I have responded to so many of you and, hopefully, helped a few to navigate the minefields of coming out and relationships. I have read your beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking stories and have been incredibly moved by them, but most of all, I have learned that I am not alone, that my experience, humbly, is shared with all of you, my brothers and my sisters in the LGBT community. Thanks to EC, my voice is out there for all of you. I am now exploring new relationships, I have and continue to be involved, both sexually and romantically with some very special men. I have made more new friends in the past year, both here on EC and "out-there", than I have made since I was 20. I am no longer the person who wrote that first thread, I am better now, it does get better!
Hard to believe it's been a whole year....but probably hard to believe it's been ONLY a year, too. We're all very happy that you took that first step. Happy anniversary!!! (&&&)
One year and over 3800 posts! That's impressive!!! I'm glad you found us here, and that you find it so rewarding to participate here. I certainly did as well when I first joined 6 or so years ago - and I continue to find it a rewarding part of my life. Congratulations on your one year. Keep coming back.
Congrads, and you are right, what a difference a year can make. You have gone through a laundry list of changes in that amount of time, and I'm sure it's been an emotional journey as well (a lot of ups, as well as downs). Sometimes its really hard to see... and get to "the other side", but you've done an amazing job. I'm sure with the ending phase of the divorce, there will be a few more "downs", but hang in there! There are a lot of people on here that can relate to what you've gone through (still going through) and it's always good to know you are not alone. Hoping you continue to find happiness and meaning in your life. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, but it's worth the effort!
