Who I am

I went on a date a little while ago. I got to thinking afterwards about why I wasn't interested. Part of it was that she was so interested in my coming out story. It's not that I mind telling it. It's just that it's not who I am. My story is a part of me, but I am so much more than that. For me, the same goes for depression. It is a part of who I am, but again I am so much more.

I spent some time this past weekend with some friends I met through the lesbian community. Some of what I like about them is that while we are all lesbian, it is not what we focus on. We talk about it sometimes and we talknabout other things. It is so lovely. (They might even recognize themselves in this post. If so, thanks so much). It is also why I like to have friends that are not gay. I think it is too easy to lose perspective otherwise. It's a big world out there.

I am not my illness either. For a while in the past few years it has taken up a lot of my energy as I work on recovering. I am bigger than that also. Now that things are getting better most of the time I am rediscovering myself. Yesterday I decided last minute to go to a football game and I rode my bike there  That felt like the me of long ago. The me of some of my happier days. It was nice to feel that person coming back.

I am a whole person. My coming out story and my illness are part of what shapes me but they do not define me.