A year ago today September 28th I had a Stroke. Although over the last seven years I've had my share of medical issues including Open Heart surgery to replace my aorta and aortic value. A very bad blood infection that required six weeks of daily antibiotics injections. Through all that I never had any doubt I was going to be ok. When I had the stroke as I laid in the back of the ambulance being rushed to Mass General Hospital I really thought I was going to die. I remember saying to myself what was my life all about. I've always known I was Gay I just never accepted it. I couldn't let anyone know I like dudes. Thankfully due to the great medical attention I got at MGH I had no lasting effects from the stroke. I did have a personal effect, reconciling with myself about my sexuality. I began to examine my life and realized I was not going to be happy until I accepted my sexuality. The entire winter I keep trying to tell myself it is what I am. Until I accept the fact I'm Gay I knew I wouldn't be happy. About the time Snowmagetton started in the Boston are I accepted the fact I was gay. Over the month of February as the snow fell I became more content with myself. On March 16th my birthday I looked myself in the mirror and for the first time in my life I verbalized to myself that I was Gay. On March 20th I Came Out to two dear friends and later that night to my mother. It was so good to tell people. My friends were supportive as was my mother. Over the next several months I started to tell people and the response was always supportive. Things were going great life felt so much different now that I could just be me, not some fake self, until the calls came in on September 8th. I had liked some pictures on Facebook that were very suggestive. A couple of people that knew I was Out called to tell me the liked pictures came up on their Facebook feed that I I had liked these pictures. I knew of two people saw them others had also. I was sick. Everyone is going to know. I started to panic. Then I decided the hell with it. I'm just going to Come Out on Facebook. I sat down and wrote a post explaining what happened and the fact that I had Come Out In March. We'll I could not believe the almost instantaneous response of love and support. There were over 175 likes on the post and we'll over 100 responses to it. Everyone of them in support. I got text messages, Facebook Messenger messages, emails, and some wonderful phone calls. Every couple of days someone new responds to the post. Just this past Saturday night I was at a local social club where a bunch of people I grew up with or went to high school with were there and people were coming up to me offering their friendship and support In a year I've gone from being totally Closeted and miserable to being totally Out and at peace with myself and life. I've found out that I have some of the most amazing family and friends. Life is truly good I can say It Truly Gets Better. Sorry for being so long winded.
An amazing testimonial to the power of being yourself! I think you've probably influenced a lot of people here by being so honest and open.
What a powerful story! Very inspiring to read what the process was like for you over the course of one year. It's ok to let things happen in their own time, I need to be reminded of that. I especially like how you describe that you kept trying to tell yourself what you are, the whole winter. It moved me. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this! It's so nice to hear, especially for those of us who are at the beginning of it all.
