Today we continue our Pride Stories hearing from Derek.
Today we’re continuing our Pride Stories sharing Derek’s story.
At age 23, I got engaged to a girl that I met in college. By age 26, I was living life as an openly gay man. I had been living in the shadows, and though I wasn’t fully aware that I was gay at the time, I knew that I was living life the way that I was ‘supposed’ to – you know, marry young, planning for kids, white picket fences, etc. It wasn’t until the end of the engagement that I decided to explore who I really was. The journey I took in those three short years was an incredibly intense, yet rewarding experience – and I can’t imagine living life any other way. It’s why PRIDE is so important to me. Bodhi has allowed me to walk into a community in which I can be true and authentic to myself, with no judgement, and knowing that I will be fully embraced for who I am. I hope that everyone, whether queer or not, lives their best life openly and authentically – and finds a community like we have at Bodhi Spiritual Center.– Derek
