Seventeen years ago, today, I came out.

I was, as some later remarked, a bit long in the tooth compared to others who took that step much earlier. And, as many others admitted, my news was not news to them.

This was followed, some years later, by the acknowledgment of other truths. A major one begins with the recitation “We admitted we were powerless…”.

I like the word “admit”. It’s not just about confessing. It’s about “letting in.” As in, admission to a movie, for example.

I once conceived this as opening a door to allow a new truth to gain access to the deepest parts of myself. And, I see now that some truths do come in through the front door.

But, I now conceive this specific truth differently. I was really opening the innermost door to the sub-basement of my psyche, to free a deeply significant core truth, which I had boxed within a box, and padlocked.

I say this now, having experienced that this truth, acknowledged and lived, has a most vitalizing energy, one that radiates from my core, through me, and then outward to everything.

This by no means suggests that once the truth radiates, everything becomes easy. Lives may change, relationships may crumble, and people fall away. Many of life’s familiar markers disappear, are knocked down, or lose their meaning.

But, inner guidance can sometimes far exceed outer markers in substance, stability and integrity.

So, to all of you who have embraced your truths, whatever they are, and now live from them – thank you and bless you.

To those who still struggle with your truths, I thank you and bless you. And, I send love and mountains of courage.